The class of 2021 will come to campus this fall. Here are some words of sound advice for the little ones. Enjoy!

1) Go to office hours

This may not be relevant your freshman year, but if you do plan to continue with grad or law school, making the connections is necessary. Yes, going to office hours may seem awkward at first, but you leave with a good impression on your professor. Simply put, it shows that you care.

2) Get involved, but do not stress yourself out.

When you first get to campus, it can be overwhelming with the amount of things that you can get involved with. My freshman year, I was involved with one thing. And you know what? I was happy because I knew that I had school with a tad bit of socialization. Find a good balance that allows you to find yourself.

3) Your first semester friends may not last forever, but that is okay.

I barely talk to the people that I was best friends with my first semester. I do cherish them and the memories that we made together, but we all have different majors and career paths.

4) Dorm life may not be your favorite.

My cousins had implemented this perfect vision of a dorm and loved it. Me? Not so much. Living on campus is great for the convenience of it all, but you definitely do not have to love it.

5) Go to class.

This one is probably a "duh" for most, but it is easy to want to skip. If the professor does not take attendance, it is especially tempting, but go. You never know the stories or lessons that you may learn

6) Go to sporting events.

While vastly different from high school events, you get to see events for your school. Honestly, going to football games was one of the highlights of my freshman year and college. Find a sport, get some tickets, and be prepared for some fun.

7) Back up your files.

Dropbox will be your best friend freshman year. Upload all of your files to it or a jump drive. You definitely do not want to be the person crying because your computer malfunctions.

8) Learn how to communicate with your roommate.

Learning how to confront something that is bothering you will save you heartbreak in the long run. You do not want to have resentments build up. Not only is that not good for your health, but terrible for a roommate relationship.

9) Dining hall food sucks, but you don't have to eat there all of the time.

There is no getting around this one. I absolutely hated our dining hall my freshman year. However, since we have multiple fast food restaurants on campus, I was able to utilize my meal plan. Not only will this save you from eating in the dining hall, but it changes your diet just a bit.

10) Get a planner.

I think that I would have been lost my freshman year without my Lilly planner. you can get one from basically anywhere, and it does not have to be expensive. Trust me on this one.

11) Explore your campus.

When you first get there, it is easy to do, but your campus always has somewhere kind of secluded. At Southern Miss, I have found places that have become my spot by doing this.

12) You don't have to know what major you want your freshman year.

Please do not think that because you are in college that you know what you are doing with your life. It is okay to not have a clue your freshman year. College is all about exploration, so explore your interests and find something you're passionate about.

13) Going Greek is not essential.

While many of my friends joined sororities and love them, I opted out of the Greek experience and that is okay. You will still find friends and have a great social life if you decide not to wear letters across your chest.

14) Understand that freshman year is a time for growth.

Looking back on it, freshman year was one of the biggest times in my life where I grew. Not only did it happen with my morals, but also physically because hello freshman fifteen. You are a seed, and with the proper nutrients, you will grow.

15) Enjoy it.

I wish that I would have looked around and embraced each moment of my freshman year. Now, as I am about to be a junior, it seems like it was so long ago, and I wish that I could go back. Enjoy this time, and embrace your struggles. You have come so far and have so far to go.