1. You can't join every organization, sport or honor society. Time management is key.
2. And even when you think you're done preparing for everything you are in, there's always something else to do.
3. Old friends from high school disappear quickly once everyone leaves for school.
4. But that just means you find out who your real friends are. And ultimately who are your #1 supporters, counselors and future bridesmaids.
5. Dorm life is either a hit or a miss. It's either really for you or it really isn't.
6. Same goes with your roommate. You can be best friends with her. You can have absolutely nothing in common with her. You can hardly talk to her. There's no manual about the cookie-cutter roommate relationship.
7. Your parents were right all along.
8. And always will be.
9. People will remember you more for your class than they will your grades. *pun intended*
10. Nobody cares about what you did in high school.
11. Or how drunk you got last weekend.
12. Keep social media clean.
13. Rush week will be one of the best and most exhausting weeks of your time in college.
14. Networking is vital. Get to know your professors and club officers well; the connections are essential when you need extra help in class or a rec letter.
15. 8 AMs suck, always.
16. But coffee helps, always.
17. Boys suck too. But you know what two men will always be there for you? Ben & Jerry.
18. On that note, the freshman fifteen is only real if you let it be. Treat working out as a stress relief instead of a way to get rid of that second quesadilla and you'll have legs of steel in no time.
19. Your sisters will be your ride-or-dies. Your encouragers. The ones who bring over a chick flick and plenty of junk food when you've had a rough week. Letters brought you together, but sisterhood is what brings you a lifelong bond.
20. Sometimes an adventure is worth the loss of sleep.
21. Because when you're looking back on the last four years, you're not going to cherish the nights where you got plenty of sleep.
22. Your dorm room will never look like Pinterest.
23. Quizlet, EasyBib, Spotify, SparkNotes, Wolframalpha, resume editors, email, planners, and 24-hour libraries will S-A-V-E your life.
24. Always stick to your morals. Don't change, even for that boy on the lacrosse team or a girl who's in the sorority you want to rush.
25. Everything works out. Maybe you won't be thinking that when it's 5 AM and you're cramming for an o-chem test, but everyone has doubt. Work through it and it'll pay off soon.
26. The time flies by. Take advantage of it while you can, because awesome doesn't even begin to cover what these next four years hold.
Photo courtesy of Baylor University.
