1. Freshman year may not be like the way it's portrayed in the movies and the youtube videos.

Sure, Elle Woods taught us a thing or two about studying our asses off and what motivation really means. And maybe that youtube video you watched about "Freshman Tips" and "My Dorm Tour" seemed really genuine. But the truth is that none of us really know what college is like until you've experienced it. It might not be what you expected to be, and that's not always a bad thing!

2. Making friends is not as easy as it seems, but you will get there.

I've always heard that you meet your lifelong friends in college. And for so many people, that is true! Just remember that it can take a while to get there, but I promise you, eventually you will have a friend that can be the Chandler to your Joey.

3. Please, for the love of God, do not think that NOW is the good time to start skateboarding.

I can't even begin to tell you how many people ride their skateboards/pennyboards/longboards/whatever to class and it's so brutally obvious that they don't even know how to ride them. It just holds up the crowd and frustrates everyone, and I promise, everybody can tell you have no idea what you are doing. If you know how to actually ride a skateboard, you do you! This is just a PSA for people that decide the first week of college is a great time to start learning...it is not.

4. Don't buy all of your textbooks right away.

My first semester I had 14 (yes. 14.) textbooks that I was "required" to order. So, being the goody-good that I am, I bought/rented all 14 textbooks. Guess how many I used? ONE. Please, for the sake of your sanity and your bank account, wait to buy your textbooks. 9/10 times you won't even need it or your professor will put the textbook pages online.

5. Partying is fun, but graduating college is even better. There will always be another party--there won't always be another test to boost your grade.

A huge reason that college can be so appealing to young adults fresh out of high school is because, hello, the party scene is awesome! Partying is great and the memories you make can last with you forever. However, remember the reason you're paying thousands of dollars to attend school in the first place. The ultimate goal in all of this is to graduate with a degree and start your dream career. Let yourself have fun, but also discipline yourself. There is no one telling you when to study or when to sleep now. So tell yourself. You don't want to be the person who spent all of freshman year partying and now has to retake 8 classes. Respect your GPA.

6. UTILIZE YOUR CAMPUS LIBRARY.

First semester I only studied in my dorm room. I still like studying in my room--it's comfortable, there's no people, I can listen to music, etc. However, it can be distracting to study in your room. There's no one telling you to get off of Netflix or Tumblr, there's no one watching you to make sure you don't start calling your friends or taking a nap. Once I started studying on the quiet floors of the library, my productivity increased ten-fold. I felt uncomfortable procrastinating in the library because everyone around me seemed like they were working so hard. Working in a quiet study place really motivated me to get my work done, and I can't stress enough how important it is to utilize the library on campus.

7. You will most likely get addicted to caffeine...save yourself now.

I've always liked the taste of coffee, but it made me sick so I never could drink it. Caffeine in general made me too shaky and anxious so I avoided it at all costs. By second semester, I was addicted to coffee. I'm a zombie in the morning before I get my caffeine. Finals week was full of Redbulls and Monsters. You do what you gotta do. If you start your second year without a caffeine addiction, you're one of the lucky ones. I'm jealous of you.

8. Take classes that interest you!

Everybody just wants to get on with their major and take all the classes that pertain to their future career, right? Rethink it! There are some awesome, interesting, ridiculously wack gen ed's out there just waiting for you to take them. My major is Psychology, but my favorite class I took last year was Astronomy. Step out of your comfort zone and take the classes that interest you. It might end up changing your outlook on life!

9. Go to office hours when needed.

Look, I understand no one really wants to go to office hours. You would rather be napping or eating or doing literally anything else. But when you're struggling to understand what's going on in your class, attending office hours could be the difference between a "C" and a "D". And, if you plan on going to grad school, you're going to need great letters of rec from professors anyways. Start getting close to them now, they could actually teach you a lot!

10. The "Freshman 15" is REAL, and that's OKAY!

I'm going to be honest with you: 99% of my friends gained weight their freshman year. Not all of us gained 15 actual pounds--it varies for each person--but it's common! Not only are you probably changing your diet and your amount of exercise, but we are at the age in our life where our bodies start to gain weight just because. There's nothing wrong with gaining some weight in college, and I really want all of you to know that. Try your best to eat healthy most days, try your best to exercise, and don't be too hard on yourself when you step on that scale. You're amazing no matter what that number is.

11. It's okay if you change your major!

I've changed my major twice, and I cried both times. It's so overwhelming having to pick a major that is supposed to last you your entire life. Well, I'm here to tell you that it is perfectly normal, extremely common, and totally okay. The person you are on your first day of college isn't going to be the same person you are at the end of your freshman year. You're going to grow and learn what you want out of this life. And the best part is that even if you're graduated with your degree, it's never too late to go back to school. Pursue what makes you happy and let your school take care of the rest. Don't stress too much if your lifelong dreams of becoming a doctor don't quite connect with you the way they used to. You will figure it out!

12. Don't hesitate to see a counselor on campus if you're struggling!

It's 2018, let's stop pretending mental health isn't important and instead start taking care of it. This transition from high school into college is rough on everybody, and for some people, it's overwhelming to a point where it can get in the way of their day-to-day life. Take care of yourself and don't hesitate to see an on-campus counselor. You can't have fun with your friends and focus on school if you're struggling with anxiety! Talk to someone and start the school year off right.

13. It's okay to skip class (sometimes!)

I admit, I was one of the freshman that started college saying "I'm paying thousands of dollars for my tuition, there's NO point in me skipping class!" And to an extent, I still stand by that. However, sometimes you're just not feeling up to it. You know what's best for you, and if there's not going to be any major consequences, it won't be the end of the world to skip that 8am ENG101 class. Sometimes, you know for a fact that professor is just going to spend the entire class reviewing last week's class, and there is no point in you even going. Other times, you might just need to finish an essay for a different class. Whatever the reason may be, don't punish yourself for skipping class occasionally. Just please, do NOT make it a common occurence. There's a difference between taking a couple mental health days throughout the semester, and taking a "F".

14. Enjoy every single moment and hold on to all of these memories.

Maybe you'll jump in the fountain at Old Main with your best pals. Maybe you'll find a new passion. Maybe you'll eat so much Panda Express in the food court that you will associate Panda with your university for the rest of your life. There are a lot of "maybe"s for college, but one thing is for certain: you will never have an experience quite like this one again. So take it all in, write all down, remember it all clearly. You're going to grow this year like you never have before, and you're going to find out who you really are. I'm so excited for you.

Are you ready?