1. Your High School Best Friends Probably Won’t Be Your College Best Friends

As hard as it is to even imagine life without your best friend who has been by your side since kindergarten, your high school friend group will probably drift apart and that’s OK. In high school, everyone is at the same point in their life – taking the same classes, preparing for the ACT, figuring out which college to go to, what to major in, etc. Once you graduate, things change. People move away to different colleges, join different organizations, and have different priorities. If your best friend chooses to stay home and doesn’t show the same interests you have in college, it’s only natural that your friendship will change as well.

2. Your 5-year Plan Blurs and Shifts To More Of a Goal

Chances are you will change your major at least once, drop a class or two, regularly sleep through the 8 a.m. you dumbly thought would be easy, or choose wine night over studying. These things happen! College is when people expect you to make mistakes. Don't take anything too seriously or you will miss all the fun.

3. Learn How To Cook a Few Easy Dishes

Takeout is expensive even if what you are buying is fast food. Do yourself (and your bank account) a favor by learning how to cook a couple simple, healthy dishes. Not only will it save you cash and calories, but it will probably impress your friends too!

4. Figure Out A Daily Routine

Structure and time management are very important in college. Try to wake up and go to bed around the same time every day so your internal clock doesn't get messed up. It's OK to pull an occasional all-nighter, but try not to make it a habit.

5. Sorority Life

If you plan on joining a sorority, understand the time commitment. It isn't just parties and sisterhood events; it's weekly chapter meetings, greek assessments, philanthropy events (sometimes during finals), fundraisers as well as socials. That being said, if you are able to put the amount of time into Greek life that it deserves, it can be a life-changing experience.

6. Do NOT Overload Yourself The First Semester

While you might think that taking 18 or 19 hours your first semester is a great idea, it's not. Keep in mind that you aren't just taking college classes for the first time; you are at a brand new school (probably in a new city or state) with brand new people as well as trying to figure out everything else life decides to throw at you freshman year. Take the first semester slow.

7. Learn Your Limit

As hilarious as you think it is to be sloppy drunk, jumping and dancing all around, then passing out... it's not. While this is expected of the freshmen, it's not exactly appreciated. Learn how to drink enough to get a good buzz and have fun, but don't drink so much that your friends have to carry you home and take care of you.

8. Dorms Are Actually a Good Experience

Not living in the dorms my freshman year is surprisingly one of my biggest regrets. It gives you the ability to connect with so many different people and make some great memories. Whenever I hear my friends talking about when they lived in the dorms and laughing at all the fun they had, I tend to get a bit jealous that I never got to experience that. As dreadful as it sounds, do it.

9. Try New Things

College shouldn't exclusively be about education. While getting a good education is the main reason you are there, that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to try new things and take the opportunity to be a little adventurous.

10. You'll Learn Who Your True Friends Are

As stated before, college can be hard on friendships, but I can almost guarantee that there will be that one childhood friend you just can't shake no matter how hard you try. Whether the two of you talk every day or once a month (there will be periods of both), the friendship never seems to dull. In college, you will make lifelong friendships; however, there is something to be said for a friendship that can last through so many different stages of life and not break but become stronger. It is such a comforting feeling to know that no matter where you are in your life that there will always be a person you can turn to.