1.Leave Your Door Open When You Are In Your Room

Especially for the first few weeks, I made some of my best friends this way. You’ll be surprised how many people just as nervous as you are come through your door and introduce themselves.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Go Into An Open Dorm Room

This is actually how I met my new roommate, I met her in an elevator and found her dorm a few hours later and introduced myself. Go say hi!

3. Try Something New

You are going to grow as a person so much more than you will ever believe you could in your first year of college, let it happen. Join a club you wouldn’t dream of joining in high school, take a class on a subject you’ve always wanted to learn about, or even try that new kinda funky haircut you’ve been dying to try. You’ll thank yourself later because you will learn something about yourself.

4. Eat a Salad Once A Day

Now, I don’t mean set aside one meal a day just to eat a salad. But you will be surprised how much better you feel when you replace a few of those nuggets and fries with a side salad. The freshman 15 is very real.

5. Call Your Parents

They are worried about you, they miss you, they’re curious about how you are doing, they want to hear about your new college life. Call them, they’ll appreciate it. At the very least shoot them an “I’m alive” text.

6. Do Your Laundry

Before you run out of underwear. You will more than happy you did.

7. Trust Your Instincts

Don’t feel like going out that night? Don’t. Feel weird about a situation? Get out of it. No one knows you better than you.

8. Be Yourself

You’ll never find or learn about yourself if you are pretending to be someone else.

9.Budget your Money

It goes a lot quicker than you think. Also, two hundred dollars left in your bank account does not mean you should buy two hundred dollar sneakers.

9. Study! Study! Study!

You are always better off being over-prepared for a test than under-prepared. C’s get degrees should never be your mantra.

10. You Cannot Make it Across Campus in 1 Minute

Don’t worry, I tried it for you so you wouldn’t have to- I also failed.

11. Have a Study Buddy in Each of Your Classes

Or at least the hard ones. It’ll motivate you to study, plus you’ll make a friend. Bonus points if they are cute!

12. Have Fun

These are supposed to be the best 4 years of your life- make sure that you treat them that way.