College. It’s a fairly small word with a loaded meaning. Your first year in college can be intimidating, confusing, and just plain difficult. But it can also be the beginning of the best years of your life. Don’t be too daunted, here are some ways to actually survive your freshmen year of college.

10. Try not to stay up all night studying.

Now I’m being honest here, I have stayed up all night studying or writing a paper. At the time, it seems like a great idea, but trust me, it’s not. Walking to class the next day is the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life. You’re tired, and no coffee can cure an all-nighter, it only puts off the inevitable crash. When morning comes and you’re dragging yourself to class, eyes heavy, hair crazy, and barely functional, you’ll regret it. Please, learn from my mistakes. Go to bed on time.

9. Don’t be afraid to do things for yourself.

This is one of my personal favorites. If you’re feeling stressed, strung out, or so tired you feel like you’re about to fall over, don’t be afraid to take away some time for yourself. Sit down for an hour or read. Play that video game you’ve stored at the bottom of your desk. Take a nap. It’ll do you loads of good to put everything you’re worried about away for a while.

8. Get an on-campus job.

This is a great thing to do, especially if you live on campus. Getting an on-campus job is a great way to earn some of your own money, so you aren’t calling your parents every other week for laundry change. It’s also a great way to get to know new people. On campus jobs also help you get to know the staff members that work in your school. Generally, an on-campus job helps you get involved, which is something you definitely want to do as a Freshmen.

7. Keep track of your money.

While we’re on the subject of money, start a budget. In college you’re free and on your own for the first time, and it’s easy to overspend. Whether it’s on food, fun, or stuff you actually need, money goes fast. Keeping a budget helps you keep track of things you should be buying and thing’s you can afford to buy for fun. It also helps if you’re making your own payments on your school bill.

6. Utilize your school’s resources.

This is an important one. Your school has a lot of resources for its students that sometimes you have to learn about on your own. Go to tutoring, use your Writing Center. Get to know the security officers. Visit the library. Trust me on this, the library is your friend. There are so many people willing to help you on a college campus, find out who they are, and get to know them.

5. Don’t procrastinate.

At the risk of sounding like an extreme hypocrite, please don’t procrastinate. Don’t put off that 10-page paper you’ve got a month to write until the night before. Don’t start reading your homework at two in the morning. It’ll cut back on your stress, and you’ll feel a lot better after you’ve finished the work.

4. Don’t go to Perkins at 1:30 in the morning.

This isn’t limited to just Perkins. This means any and all food places. From very up close and personal experience, you don’t want to go out and eat greasy food at 1:30 in the morning. It can and will make you sick in the morning. Staying healthy on a college campus is hard enough, and this is an easy habit to get into. Try to cut yourself off from food at 9:00. It’ll keep you healthy and happy, which is a fairly large accomplishment for your first year in college.

3. Don’t be afraid to miss class (sometimes).

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying that you should miss class constantly, that’s how you fail the class. But if you’re sick or having one of those days where you can’t seem to pull yourself out of bed, take a day off. It’s not going to kill your grades. If you know what’s going on in the class, and you’re confident that missing won’t trip you up, just email your professors to warn them of your absence. This is probably the most important step in missing class. Make sure to email your professors, they’ll appreciate your effort and it’ll keep you on good terms with them.

2. Get to know your professors.

While we’re talking about professors, you should, at least, try to have some kind of relationship with your teachers. Get to know your professors and let them get to know you. It makes the semester a lot easier in ways you wouldn’t expect. If you have any questions about a paper or homework assignment, having a positive relationship with your professor makes it a lot easier to reach out for help. And if you’re going to miss class, it makes it a lot easier to email them about your absence if you’re not too intimidated by them.

1. Don’t be afraid to make friends.

Believe me, when I showed up to college I had already accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to make any friends. You’re never too weird, too awkward, too loud, or too anything to find friends at school. You will find people just as weird, just as awkward, and just as afraid as you are. Everyone there is also just starting out. In no time at all you’ll be spending all your free time with people you barely even knew a few months ago. It’ll see too good to be true, but I promise it’s real.