Freshman year. There are all sorts of mixed emotions– you’re sad because you’re leaving home, you’re excited to be on your own, you’re overwhelmed because of all the people and such a different environment, but most importantly, you’re READY.

You’re ready to meet people and ready to learn about stuff you’re passionate about, but your only thing is… you don’t know how to get started. Well let me tell you this– I’m here to help!

1. Get Involved

Right away, there will be TONS of opportunities to make new friends and meet a lot of people on campus. RUSH! Pick a sorority, fraternity, or social club that fits you, and enjoy rushing!

Go to events and socials, never miss a chance to make a new friend. You absolutely never know how that brand new friendship can grow throughout the year.

2. ATTEND!!

Football games, pep rallies, tailgates, GO TO THEM! The student section is a BLAST, and you can either dress up in your cutest dress or dress down and wear a t-shirt and shorts. Nonetheless, always support your school and wear your colors with pride!

And, not only are sporting events great, but so are concerts, plays, and all sorts of different events. Support your classmates! Be a fan of where you are!

3. Find a Group

I’m 100% in support of being a social butterfly and making friends with a whole mess of people, however, one of the things that benefitted me the most was having a group of friends who always supported each other.

The girls all borrowed each other’s clothes, did each other’s makeup, and were there with ice cream during that time of the month, while the guys helped jump our cars, walked us across campus at night, and made fires when we went camping. My group helped get me through my freshman year!

4. Improvise

Though 95% of the time, there will be tons of things to do around campus, there will be some nights where you feel like there’s absolutely nothing to do with all your time.

So improvise! For example, one night we got a huge group together and played a game called “Manhunt,” which was basically Hide-N-Seek, but we dressed in black and climbed trees and spread out around campus. There were about 30 people who played with us, and it was awesome.

5. Play Intramurals!!!

Intramural sports were the best! It’s awesome because you aren’t rated by how good you are, in fact, you can be completely terrible and still be on a team.

It’s an easy way to play a sport that maybe you played in high school but didn’t get to play in college, or a good way to get a hilarious laugh with your friends.

It’s great for competitive people too, and most importantly, it’s a good way to get out of the dorm and get a little bit of exercise!

6. Get to Know Your Area

My college town is quirky and small, but also beautiful. There are small shops and restaurants that are native to the area, and there’s also gorgeous spots near the lake full of places to hang out, hammock, and have bonfires.

Find out things about your area! If you’re in a big city, take a weekend to explore and find not only popular stores, but also those local places that make your area unique. If you’re in a small town, explore nature and be creative!

There’s always things to do, no matter where you are.

7. Become Friends with Your Roommate

Unless there’s just some personality trait about them that makes you completely uncomfortable with even the thought of you guys becoming close, your roommate could potentially be one of your best friends.

You live with them, meaning that when you turn in after a long, annoying day of classes and arguments with friends, it’s always good to have someone to talk to, and your roommate can be the best person for the job.

But always remember to give back to her, and find out what she likes and doesn’t like. If you’re messy and she’s super tidy, try to adjust (at least a little bit). The more sacrifices you guys make for each other, the more apt you are to help each other out when you really need it. And I promise, you’ll need it!

8. DON’T FORGET TO STUDY

This is SO important, because a lot of times it’s easy to get so caught up in the college experience that you forget about the reason you’re there: to get an education.

If you’re anything like me, high school was a breeze. AP classes weren’t the nightmare that you were always warned about, and you never even had to study. College is a lot different. You have to study, make the grade, DON’T miss class, and READ!

College is hard, but it’s worth it.

9. Be Balanced

After saying all that about studying, I want you to know that being social is important, too.

It’s best to really find a good balance between social and educational, because when you’re pulling an all-nighter before a big project is due that you’ve been working really hard on, your friends are the ones who will surprise you with a coffee or a 5-hour-energy to keep you going.

10. Don’t Spend All Your Money

Starbucks has swallowed my money ever since I got my license and a debit card. My guilty obsession has always been coffee that has more sugar and whipped cream than expresso, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. However, when I arrived at school, there were three options to get my coffee fill:

1. Go to our rivaling campus’s Starbucks

2. Drive 30 minutes to a Starbucks a few towns away

3. Go to our on-campus coffee shop, which wasn’t Starbucks, but it was just as good.

Needless to say, I quickly spent the $450 of on-campus money on coffee every single morning, which brings me to a very important point: DON’T SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY.

If your parents give you money throughout the year, use it wisely, otherwise they’ll know you’ve been overspending.

If you live off your own hard-earned dollars, save it! Eat on campus, be creative in providing room decór, and look for bargains when you’re grocery shopping. You never know when you’ll need that extra cash.

11. Go on School Trips

Especially if you’re considering studying abroad, this is a great way to see just what it’s like to travel with your school.

These trips are a great way to meet people, and an awesome way to travel the country with new friends, and friends you already have.

12. Don’t Forget to Go Home

Your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, pets– all the people who’ve supported you since you’ve been a little kid– MISS YOU!

I understand distance (I lived 7 hours away from my school) but please don’t forget to visit home and all your old friends and relatives. They love you and want to see you! Plus, no matter how fun school is, there will always be times where you get a little homesick.

That being said, if you live close, it’s awesome to get to go home and do your laundry, eat home-cooked meals, and go to your old church. But don’t feel obligated to go home every single weekend. Part of college is learning to live on your own, so take advantage of that!

13. Enjoy It

Listen to the people who tell you that these will be the best days of your life, and live every day remembering that it won’t last forever. The friends you make in college will be your friends for life, the memories you make are ones you’ll never forget, and you’ll experience things that will change who you are. Live it and love it, because it’ll be over faster than you think.