Freshman year was full of ups and downs, twists and turns, but the past year was one of the best of my life.

There are so many new things you can experience and a lot of new people to experience them with. However, I wish someone would have given me some advice for freshman year, so here are my suggestions for the class of 2018.  

Talk to your professors. First off, focus on your studies. Professors are actually there to help. If you don’t understand something, go to office hours. If you need help on a paper, ask. You’ll most likely get a better grade and you’ll gain recognition and respect from them, and that never hurts.

Go out, a lot. Hey, freshman year is one of the few times you’ll have the opportunity to go out and have little responsibility to worry about. Don’t take this as if you shouldn’t study and don’t have to, because you do. Get the things you need to do done, so you can go out. It’s a great way to make friends and meet new people and it's worth it. You learn a lot about life after 2 a.m.

Get to know your hall mates. It's really nice to have people so close by when you need help. If you need supplies, they are right there, as well. They might just become some of your closest friends. You never know.

Talk with strangers. I know your parents said don’t talk to strangers, but you aren't living with them anymore. If you're at a party, talk to a random guy. If you're waiting in line for coffee, chat it up with someone. Who knows, you could meet your future best friend.     

Make the closest friends you’ll ever have. Almost any time you do something in college you have the opportunity to make a friend. You could make friends in classes, at a party, or right on your hall. You may not get a long at first, but you could become the closest of friends. What I do know is that you could make some of the best friends you’ve ever had.