A year ago, I was finishing my last week of my senior year of high school and now I'm finishing my last week of my first year of college. I have learned countless lessons within the past 365 days, most of which took place outside of the classroom. As the new generation of high school graduates prepares for their freshman year of college, I decided to write out some things I wish I knew before I started college.

1. Adjust your eating schedule before you move in.

During orientation weekend, our floor had scheduled dinners at 4 p.m. every evening. I was so overwhelmed with all that was happening that I forgot to eat a snack later that night. As a result, I woke up the next morning unable to do anything but lay on my floor, struggling to find the energy to move a foot to get a granola bar to eat for breakfast.

2. Don't loft your bed. You'll regret it.

My roommate and I decided at the last minute to loft our beds, allowing for a bunch of extra storage space in our rooms, after hitting my head on the ceiling six times in one night, I immediately regretted this decision. We ended up unlofting our beds before the end of the month, and we've had to keep our loft kits in our room for the past nine months.

3. It's okay if you don't go Greek.

I'm probably going to write an article in the near future elaborating on this, but it's okay if you decide not to rush a sorority or fraternity. I know many people who rushed this year, and they absolutely love their organizations; however, I know many people who didn't rush, and they are also having an incredible college experience. College is what you make of it, regardless of whether you go Greek or not.

4. If you go to the same school as one of your best friends from high school, you won't necessarily stay close with them throughout the year.

I went to the same college as one of my best friends from high school, and after a few months, I found us talking less and less as we both found other groups of friends in school. Nothing really happened, we just simply drifted apart. I realized that there doesn't necessarily need to be a reason for a friendship to fade: sometimes it just happens naturally, and that's okay.

5. ...but if you go to the same school as someone from your high school who you weren't close with, they may end up becoming one of your best college friends.

I had a few classes in high school with a girl who I knew was going to the same school as I was, but we hardly talked outside of class. We ended up living on the same floor our freshman year, and within a month she became one of my new best friends. She's my go-to whenever I need advice or want Taco Bell at 2 in the morning. It's weird to think that we graduated together, but I'm so glad we finally ended up growing so close.

6. Friendships aren't built overnight, it takes time to find who you really connect with.

My first few weeks of college consisted of me getting to know as many people as I could, and it was kind of overwhelming. You have eighteen years of catching up to do with people you just met. It's completely fine if you don't immediately have a group of close friends after the first weekend. The best friendships take time, and after a couple months, I had a group of wonderful girls who I consider some of the best friends I've made so far in college.

7. Don't skip class unless you absolutely need to.

I only skipped class a few times this year: once because I overslept, once because I was sick, once because I needed to pack, and once because I went to a political rally. Even though I didn't miss any important assignments, I still felt guilty for missing a day of class. It's not a good habit to get into, so don't skip unless it's for a legitimate reason.

8. Work on assignments as soon as you get them.

Otherwise you'll stay up until 3 a.m. writing a paper over a book you didn't read.

9. Do anything you can for a free t-shirt, as long as it's legal and moral.

I've gotten so many free shirts this year from football games, Twitter contests, on-campus events, or friends giving them away. I have enough school shirts to wear one a day for at least a month, and I look forward to many more shirts next year.

10. It is 110 percent okay to stay close with your friends from home.

Some people come to college and completely throw away all of their friendships from high school in search of new friends. I have never wanted to do that. My friendships from high school are beyond valuable to me, and I will do anything in the world to keep my best friends in my life. Social media has made it extremely easy to stay in contact with all of my friends, so I get to talk to them every day. And when I go a few weeks without seeing them, it makes it even better when I finally reunite with them.

11. Manage your time well so that you can get to sleep at a decent hour.

I'm notorious for being the girl on the floor who stays up until 2 a.m. every night, and I honestly have no good reason for doing so. I function on around five hours of sleep most given days, and I rarely get the chance to take naps. Needless to say, I have missed sleep so much in college.

12. Take advantage of every opportunity you get to spend time with friends.

Whether it's going out to eat, shop, or watch a show, seize every moment to spend time with people. These are memories which I will cherish forever, and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

13. School is important, but relationships are more important.

I am a very good student, and I want to do the best in all of my classes. I'm also very people-oriented, and I put others first over many other things in my life. I have stayed up many nights having deep chats with friends either in my room or on the phone. Never once have I regretted putting people over homework. I'd rather stay up all night working on homework than miss out on strengthening the relationships in my life.

14. Enjoy every moment, because it will end far too soon.

I have taken thousands of pictures in just the past ten months, and I regret nothing. I want to capture all of the memories I've made this year, because it has gone by much quicker than I expected.

People say that college is "the best four years of your life." While I certainly hope college isn't the high point of my entire life, it certainly has been an incredible experience so far. I am grateful for all of the opportunities I've had this year and all of the wonderful people I've met.

Thank you, freshman year, for all of the wonderful memories and lessons. Here's to an amazing summer and an even more amazing sophomore year!