Before I get into this, I know what a lot of people are thinking: "This girl literally just finished her freshman year. I don't want to hear about how much of an expert she thinks she is after two semesters of college." But believe it or not, I learned more about life than I did about the French Revolution and what not to eat at the cafeteria over the course of the last nine months. Had I realized some of these things earlier, I would have been a lot less stressed and confused at any given point last year. So, here's to you, eager, incoming college freshman. Get ready for a crazy, hectic, stressful, confusing, awesome year. Hopefully these small tidbits of information that I learned will potentially be an advantage for you as you take on your first year of college.

1. "Starting Over" has its pros and cons.

Yes, you get to meet new people and they have absolutely no preconceived ideas of who you are or what your past consists of, but this also means that girl down the hall from you isn't going to know you like your best friend from home does. When you get stressed out, she isn't going to know to bring you a Banana Cream Pie shake from sonic with extra nuts and no whipped cream. She isn't going to know you absolutely hate the smell of mangos and one day you want to backpack across Europe. Moving to a new college with people you've never met before can be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but guess what? You're all doing it. Take advantage of this and use it to invest in friendships and relationships. Actually listen to the conversation you're having with the girl in your comp class- she could end up being your best friend. An adjustment like this is going to be weird at first, but use this time to build the foundations of the friendships you are going to carry with you for decades after your college days have ended.

2. This is "your" time.

You may have been that kid in high school who joined clubs and organizations just because your friends did, and you hung out with certain people just because you didn't really feel like making the effort to meet someone new. If this applies to you at all, I want you to know one thing: now it's your turn. College is about you. Don't like to go out? Don't go out! Contrary to popular belief, just as many people sit in their bed and watch Netflix on Friday night as there are going out, and that's okay! You can join the Knitting club or the Quidditch team, or you can befriend the stray cats on campus. It's all up to you! This is your opportunity to figure out what you like and what you don't like. Don't be afraid to try new things and have fun with it!

3. Going Greek can be one of the best decisions you make in your life.

I've heard literally every stereotype, condescending joke, and degrading slogan about sororities. But going Greek has been one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. When I moved into college, my dad was in the ICU having open heart surgery. I was going through a lot on top of being three and a half hours away from home and not knowing a single soul at my university. The girls I met in my sorority welcomed me with open arms and gave me the most amazing support system I could ever dream of having. Since then, they have challenged me to be the best I can be academically, spiritually, and so much more. Say what you want to about Greek Life, but it is something that has the potential to change your life for the better in huge ways.

4. It is possible to be too involved.

I'm sitting here waiting for lightening to strike my house as I type this sentence. Going into freshman year, I was determined to join every single possible club, organization, and whatever else there was on campus that would let me be a member. A job, 21 Hours both semesters, a sorority (and a position in it), 2 Leadership Team Positions, 3 Campus organizations, one choir, and an honor society (the list goes on). I often found myself beyond overwhelmed. Most weeks, I was getting 2-3 hours of sleep per night (maximum) and I always had at least one meeting every single night of the week. Often, by the time the weekend rolled around, I was exhausted and didn't even want to hang out with friends. Don't get me wrong- being involved on campus is the most rewarding thing you can do. But there is only one you. And you can only do so much. So, get involved, and dive into everything your college has to offer, but don't overload yourself.

5. Everything won't always be perfect, but that's the beauty of it.

I am the queen of being a perfectionist, and I always have been. This made college a huge eye-opening experience for me. I've never liked the idea of being mediocre. But college has allowed me to see the beauty in being less-than-perfect. After being a nearly straight "A" student in high school, I thought I was going to die when I got my first "C" on a History test and my first "B" as a final average for History. That's okay. Am I saying it's fine to slack off and settle for average? Absolutely not. But I am saying you might not make an A on every single test, and you might not get into every single club or organization you apply for, but that's okay. You're going to look back on the experiences you had where you made mistakes, and you'll learn how to become stronger because of it. So, take chances, meet new people, and have fun. Because these will be the best four years of your life if you'll let them.