3 semesters. 15 months. 65 weeks. 455 days. 10,920 hours. 655,200 minutes. 39,312,000 seconds. But really, who's counting?

I know I wasn't, until I started thinking about how much I've learned over the past 3 semesters. And I'm not talking about everything I've learned academically. The lessons I'm talking about are the ones that I don't necessarily pay tuition to learn.

1. Not everyone will be good to you

They always say to start things off with this strongest point but in my case, the hardest. This lesson was by far the hardest thing I've had to learn but have only done so recently. No matter how you treat them, whether you're there for them at their lowest points or with them when they feel as though they can't turn to anyone else, they won't always return the favor.

Even if it’s for the most trivial things like help on a paper or a ride somewhere nearby, I’ve learned that once you don’t hold any value to them, they can act as if you’ve never existed. It took me running into multiple instances like this until I realized that it wasn’t worth it. Pick a few people to care for, the ones that you know will do unto you as you’ve done unto them. It’s hard to know who right away, but enough effort can open the light to great relationships.

But not everyone is bad. Keep an open mind, be optimistic and don’t close yourself off to new experiences and relationships because you’re afraid of getting hurt. Just be a little weary sometimes.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a couple more times, well it’s time for something to change.

2. College is much different than high school

The schedules aren’t as strict and neither are the requirements for actually showing up to class. Responsibility is placed completely on the backs of us college students and it’s not entirely a bad thing. College teaches you that there is something more beyond the Pythagorean Theorem and the square root of x. Like in high school, college doesn’t teach you major life skills like how to fill out a W-2 or how to balance your bank accounts. But unlike high school, college gives you the opportunity to learn these things.

Most of the time when students go to college, they go far enough away that their parents and their family aren’t a quick drive away. They’re in different towns, or different states or sometimes even different countries, so through this distance it causes college students to learn how to do things on their own.

And this is a good thing, because there will come a time when their parents aren’t there to hold their hand and walk them through it anymore.

3. Yes. Flash Floods are a real thing

I learned this one the hard way. Back home in the suburbs of Chicago when we get a flash flood warning we don't really pay much attention to it, so coming to Iowa when I saw those notifications I didn’t think too much of it.

I was out with a friend when the rain hit and at Iowa State you have to park on certain sides of the street at certain times. Well, this friend and I wanted to continue being off campus but I didn’t really want to drive my car anymore because of the parking rules. So not thinking too much about it, I decided to park at the base of a small hill and I don’t think I could’ve made a worse decision.

Roughly an hour or so later my car had flood waters filling it, the surface of the water covered my radio and about ⅓ of my side door windows. Thank the high heavens that the friend I was with knew people who were near it that could pull it out a lot quicker than we would’ve.

Thankfully after attaching it to a truck, they managed to get it out but not quickly enough so that it wasn’t ruined. Definitely one of the worst weeks of my life last semester but I’m so glad and so thankful for the people that came out to help me. Especially when the insurance and tow companies had to be involved.

But with a new car and a new perspective on flash floods, I definitely can say that I learned my lesson.

4. Take a sick day once in awhile

Let’s be real, college can be very stressful. So when needed, take a mental health day. Don’t go to class and focus on destressing for once. Now this doesn’t mean take one every week, but if your schedule allows for one of these days once in awhile then go for it. You won’t necessarily get these opportunities once you graduate.

Because not showing up or calling in sick can get you fired, but apparently in college it's okay. So take advantage of it while you can, just not too much.

5. Dining Centers and Food on Campus will be your best friend

Remember to bring your tupperware containers and extra baggies because I mean hey, you pay for it all, right?

Might as well stock up, especially if you’re paying for both a meal plan and your own groceries. If there’s one thing college does, is it teaches you how to be resourceful and in this case, it’s about getting all the food you pay for.

6. Go out and enjoy yourself

Make mistakes, have fun and make memories. You may regret it in the morning when your head is pounding and you feel like you’re about to empty the contents of your stomach but hey, now you’ve got some stories to tell. You can check things off of your crazy bucket list and do the things your younger self may have seen you doing by now (as long as they’re tame and not illegal.)

I definitely learned this one after I was already staying in to do homework instead of going to “girl’s night out” with my roommates freshman year.

You don’t want to be referred to as the “boring grandparent” when your grandkids ask you what you were like when you were younger now do you?

Make the memories that turn into the “I remember when I…” or “back in my day…” kind of stories.

7. Find something that makes you happy

Whether it’s joining Greek life, becoming involved on campus or joining a club that high-school-you may never have thought of joining. Find a passion, something that you can separate from the stresses of school and just dive in, head first.

At first when I joined Greek life, this is what I thought I could use to help me separate myself from school. But all too quickly it merged and I began to feel like there wasn’t an escape. Now this isn’t the case for everyone, I love being Greek and I’m very passionate about it and my chapter don’t get me wrong, but it’s not the passion that I can use to separate myself and destress from school.

It wasn’t until mid-fall semester of my sophomore that I discovered mine. Photography. I found that I love to just step behind a camera, look through the lens and capture the beauty that is the nature around me.

It may be hard, but you’ll be able to do something that intrigues you and helps you forget about all the stresses that come with school.

8. Don’t be afraid to find yourself

In high school, everyone thinks they know who they are, who they want to be and possibly where they want to go. But others simply just don’t.

It’s okay to not know everything there is to know about yourself. But also don’t be afraid to embrace who you actually are just because it goes against what everyone else says for you, or even what you thought you saw.

If you would’ve asked high-school-me what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be and who I wanted to be, the answer would’ve been completely different from who I am now and the goals I hold now. And that’s completely okay.

You’re allowed to change, you’re allowed to be different. Because it’s what makes you, well YOU.

9. Find your tribe and love them hard

Cliche yes, but it’s so true. I’ve found about six of my absolute best friends and wouldn’t change them for the world. Sometimes there are disagreements and sometimes there are tears but at the end of the day, no matter what, we know that we’ll always be there for each other.

They’re the ones that aren’t afraid to make stupid decisions with you whether it’s 3am McDonald’s runs or going to sunrise yoga even though neither of you are really morning people. They’re the ones that you can see being your bridesmaids or helping you at some point beyond college. They’re the ones that won’t be afraid to tell you how it is, but will gladly help you when you’re down.

Mine come from so many different backgrounds. From a livestock production farm to the hockey state (Minnesota) to Iowan suburbia. I’ve learned many different things about the best restaurants to the best theaters to the best times to eat spudnuts. I wouldn’t know nearly as much as I do about these other states if it weren’t for them and I am forever grateful.