My first year at college was intense--I struggled with making friends, eating nutritious foods, and doing well in my classes. A lot of adults have given me the typical "you'll eventually get into the swing of things" advice, but after my first year at school, I realized I had to make a lot of mistakes before I could finally begin to adjust to my new life. Now, you may already know these tips, but it never hurts to be reminded to have a vegetable every once in a while, or to give yourself time to find the right people to surround yourself with.

1. High school was easier, but college is so much better.

Looking back, the homework you did in high school was easier, but in college, you have the freedom to choose to take classes you have an interest in, and to create your own schedule. Plus, you don't have to sit through a study-hall in a classroom or raise your hand to go to the bathroom in college. After class, whatever free time you have is yours.

2. Making unhealthy meal decisions is a lot more common than you thought.

Choosing the salad bar is hard when you could have a burger and fries. Plus, the salad bar and a few other healthy options are out-shined by the masses of pizza, pasta and desserts. Just remember that when you were at home, you didn't eat fries every day, so try not to have fries for every meal.

3. Finding good friends takes time.

You won't immediately make great friends, and sometimes you'll sit by yourself during a meal. But when you do meet people, don't settle for people who just let you sit with them at meals. Find the people who think you're funny (and who you find funny too), who encourage you to try your best, and support you through some of your tougher times.

4. Time-management is really, really hard.

During your first semester, you'll get overwhelmed. You'll have to balance maintaining friends, and doing well in your classes. Sometimes you'll choose to hang out with your friends instead of studying for an exam. Good friends won't pressure you to hang out knowing you have an important exam the next day. They can wait. You only get one chance to take an exam.

5. Never buy textbooks at full price.

$250 is a lot of money for a textbook you'll only be using for one semester. There are cheaper options like Amazon, Thriftbooks and Chegg.

6. Get used to not having a lot of time to be by yourself.

Having roommates means you won't have a lot of time to yourself anymore, and living in a dorm means the common rooms are open to everyone, so the seemingly endless hours of alone time you once had are now lowered to an hour or even a few hours, if you're lucky. This isn't always a bad thing, though. Get to know your roommates--they are the kind and unfortunate souls who will listen to your venting.

7. Homesickness is real.

Leaving your family is hard. You can't go downstairs and ask for help from your dad anymore. You can no longer enjoy long car rides with your siblings, and the next time you'll eat a home-cooked meal is during the next vacation. Homesickness is hard--your heart feels like it's constantly being tugged and it gets harder to breathe. You hold in your tears because your roommates are around, and if you let out one sob, you won't be able to stop the rest. Even Skyping your family or talking to them on the phone is hard because you miss them so much and you are reminded that you are here, and they are back home. But rest assured -- you won't feel homesick forever. You'll find that you cry less and less and that it slowly becomes easier to breathe after a few weeks. And soon enough, you won't feel homesick. (That being said, homesickness does come back. But it will fade away.)

8. Snow days aren't a thing anymore.

Say goodbye to snow days because colleges don't seem to close campuses. So find your snow boots because you'll be trudging to class throughout the cold, harsh winter.

9. It's okay to stay in on the weekends.

Learning to say no is important, and it's okay to say it. You don't have to go out on the weekends. You can stay in, watch Netflix and eat microwaved lasagna if you want to.

10. You don't have to leave people behind.

Just because you're going to college doesn't mean you have to let go of the people in your hometown. Keeping in touch is fairly easy--Shoot them a text every once in a while, Skype them when you're free, and let them know you'd like to hang out when you get home. The people you grew up with don't have to be people you grow out of.

11. You will fail sometimes.

We all have different definitions of failure, but you'll hit that low point at least once. It's disappointing to receive a lower grade than expected, especially when you studied hard. But you will get through it. Tell yourself you will do better, and push yourself to achieve your goals. Take the failure and improve the things you can: take more specific notes, take more time to study, or find a friend who will quiz you. One step back can help you take two steps forward.