1. Being sick may be the hardest thing you ever have to endure in college.

It's not like high school. You can't stay home and relax for a day or two. Missing a day or two in college is like missing a week in high school. It's so easy to get behind, so you have to push yourself to get out of bed, no matter how miserable you feel. You'll hate your life for the week or two that you have the freshman plague or whatever illness is going around, but you'll be thankful that you got yourself out of your dorm and into that lecture and stayed on top of things.

2. A half-lofted bed is still high off the ground.

Maybe it's just because I barely hit the five-foot mark...but I'm seriously considering getting a footstool to give myself a break from jumping onto and off of my bed.

3. It's all about the free stuff.

You'll find yourself so excited and enthusiastic about all the events that have free giveaways. Whether it's free Chipotle or free t-shirts, you'll find yourself out and about--maybe even on the hunt for all the free things around campus.

4. Time management takes a whole new level.

In high school, we juggled academics, extracurricular activities, and other assorted jobs and internships. But college adds so many other things into the mix--laundry, getting groceries, cleaning your dorm, and other little things that you never had to consider while you lived at home. Don't get overwhelmed--make a list, make a plan, and start getting organized about how you are going to go about your day.

5. Your best friends are a sweatshirt and a water bottle.

At least in my experience, I have found myself cold no matter what building I'm in. So I always have a sweatshirt in my bag to pull out when I'm in the library or when I'm in class and it's a lifesaver. Also, no matter the weather, I always find myself dehydrated. Having a bottle of water is great to keep you hydrated, and combats the Freshman 15 by making you less hungry throughout the day.