College is the time to explore—yourself, others, and the world. You have to take every opportunity placed in your path to truly get the most out of your college experience, so that you leave after four years completely different than how you started. The hope is that you will be smarter, more worldly, more open-minded, more secure, more passionate, more driven, and more enamored with life than when you began.

Leave at least two nights a week open to doing random other activities that you find on campus. Whether it’s going to a World Ethical Issues Debate, doing a semester of Model United Nations, joining an A Cappella or comedy group, attending the Italian club, you name it. There is something for everyone on campus. If someone tells you you’d be good at something/have to try it, just do it. Even if it's just once. If you’re trying a new workout class, cooking a new recipe, listening to a speaker, attending a poetry reading, or anything else, everything you do will help you grow and develop as a person.

Say yes to everything, because saying yes exposes you to new aspects of your own personality. You learn something about yourself each and every time you try something new. Don’t get me wrong, I love relaxation time, it’s what refuels me so I have energy to do fun activities, but how much are you truly growing and developing if you’re on your fifth episode in a row of Game of Thrones?

College is the greatest time to learn about yourself. You have all of the freedom to broaden your horizons. Never again will you be exposed to so many different opportunities. To draw an analogy, high school is like the training wheels, college is like the bike where you’re going around, seeing the sights, getting all that good exercise in, and then life after college is like the motorcycle on the highway—which is cool but you’re not actually getting any exercise and you’re zipping through life faster and faster and don’t have any time to stop and look around. So stay on that bicycle, see the sights, and take your time really living in the moment and experiencing all that you can.

This time will go by so quickly, and at the end of the four years you want to leave with so much more than just a degree. Leave with friends, memories, experiences, perspective, and excitement for the future. Leave your mark everywhere you go. Be truly present so life can be a gift . (aahh look what I did there. I think I made it up but I'm not sure). When you look back on college life, I hope you're seeing more than hours spent in front of the tv, or hours spent in the library. Work hard, play hard, learn hard, smile hard