So far, I am about two weeks into my freshman year here at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. The experience of going away to college is something that I can't even come close to explaining in words. The strangest feeling is moving all your belongings from home to your new home. The next strangest is spending day after day with someone you just met or rarely saw before you moved to campus. It can be a crazy thing or it can be a bad thing. Overall, there are a few things I have learned in my short two weeks living here and I know many incoming freshman would benefit if they could hear these things from someone experiencing it at this exact time. Here are a few things I wish I had someone ahead of me to warn me about and advise me before stepping on campus. These are not intended to be MUST do things, but after being here I'd highly recommend any recently graduated senior to do before they are sent off to their new homes in the upcoming falls.

1. VISITS. VISITS. VISITS.

I can not express this enough, even though this didn't pertain to me but some freshman I have met recently this past week. HOW DO YOU ATTEND A COLLEGE YOU NEVER MADE A VISIT TO? I highly, highly, highly recommend making a visit. By golly, I made like 6 visits to Heidelberg before I even made a decision about attending here. Then, I made about 3 more visits over the summer for sports related camps or just to see the campus again before I moved in. Travel, can be a huge issue, but some people have said to me this year "Oh, my friend attends there and they love it so I probably will too!". No, everybody has difference preferences and making a decision about where you want to live for the next 4ish years, is a pretty big decision. Getting a feel for your future home, is a must in my book (unless of course you live halfway across the globe then I'll let that slide)

2. ROOMIE OR STRANGER?

I had the amazing chance to find a roommate I had been familiar with in the year past. But when I see someone walking on campus that I know and they're NEVER with their roommate, I wonder, "Do they even like each other?". In our generation, getting ahold of other incoming freshman is a piece of cake. With Heidelberg, we were all connected to the same Facebook page so we could message each other and find a roommate prior to move in day so you know you have something in common. Some people don't feel the need to do this "crazy" (super simple though) process called instant messaging.. Never in a million years would I tell a girlfriend of mine, "Oh, just pick a random roommate and see what happens!". I hate the idea of that. If you want to be guaranteed to leave freshman year with a best friend, you should find someone who has similar interests as you. Someone who will be down to do the things you enjoy doing because they enjoy it too. You might not think you spend any time in your room, but welcome week comes to an end you'll want somebody who is down to take naps and chill in the room with you in-between classes. I am so glad I was able to find a roommate who lived less than a hour away from me during the summer so we could meet and becoming great friends prior to moving in together. You don't have to meet before move in day, but communication in finding a roomie is just as important as the communication in a relationship!

3. MOVE IN DAY

Move in day is full of nerves. Move in day is full of excitement. Move in day is full of tears (mostly from mom and dad... who am I kidding it is water works day for your mom). Move in day was my goal date all summer. I was so excited to move into my new home. I had my boxes piling in our dining room on the table for the weeks leading up to leaving. I was so flustered with all the things I needed to pack and buy and make for the dorm that it never really hit me that I was literally leaving my family to move away for 8 months until my parents walked out the door and I sat on my bed staring at the wall. Advice for move in day, let your mom organize what she wants to organized, let her hug you as many times as she wants, let her fold your clothes and put them away for you, let her make your bed one last time for a while. Even though that day is about you, I look back on move in day and feel bad that I got mad at my mom for taking things over in the room. Your mom is so used to doing everything for you, it's the job that she has loved for the last 18 years. Just go with the flow and when she is ready to leave, hug her and hug her hard. You have no idea what she is feeling dropping off her little baby at college. It's a huge step for the both of you. It is your big day, but it's an even bigger day for her.

4. WELCOME WEEK!

My biggest piece of advice, meet as many people as you can. You will not remember most of their names, but it's a start to becoming a part of the community. My University, is extremely small compared to those that surround us so it won't take me long to know a majority of the students in my class. But when you're at all the events your school has put together for all the freshman, walk up to people, say "Hi, my name is ____. What's yours?" It is not as awkward as it sounds because everyone around you is starting off fresh just like you. Make friends while walking around with your roommate so you can find a group to call yours. Once you meet a few people, it becomes easier and easier to meet new people. I have a small problem when it comes to talking to strangers, but once you get into the hang of meeting new people, you're high flying from there. You will feel so much more comfortable walking campus if you can walk by a group of people and say hello because you met them last week. When you know more people, there are more smiles on the sidewalks rather than staring at cell phones to avoid eye contact. MEET PEOPLE. MEET PEOPLE. MEET PEOPLE. It will make the first week of classes so much more enjoyable because maybe you'll know one of those people in each of your classes or you can walk with new friends to classes near each other. This might be one of the most important things to tell incoming freshman no matter where they plan to attend. I am so glad I gathered up the confidence to make friends during welcome week because I've never had more fun than I am having right now. This is the time of my life and were just getting started.

5. ORGANIZATION

I am a huge stickler when it comes to being organized and this is a huge piece of advice for incoming freshman. Whether or not you were organized in High School, you better learned before you walk on campus. Especially if you are a student athlete, and more than half our student body participates in sports, things get very hectic once classes start. If you aren't a person who is very organized, let me help you. Colors. Color coding my classes is a huge plus and time saver. It is easy to tell which class is what when I go to grab my notebook and folders. Titles. Label your notebooks with your classes, believe me you'll never grab the wrong one if it says in bold letters "PSYCHOLOGY" on the front cover. This may all seem small and dumb, but trust me, you will be better off this way. PLANNER. This word is in caps for a really big reason. Having a planner to keep all events, assignments, exam dates, reading dates, note taking days, and anything else is essential to keeping everything together in college. Without a planner, I think I would lose my MIND! My first semester as a freshman is a whopping 17 credit hours.. No, I did not chose the heavy load life, they chose that for me! But this challenge will better prepared me for the next four years, so just go with it (unless you absolutely think that is too much, then drop a few to start off with). In my monthly calendar, I have written in all the exam dates and assignment due dates according to the syllabus schedule. This let's me know before I head into class If i need to bring anything to turn in our prepare for an exam. Since you do not meet daily with classes it gets pretty confusing as to what class has what due. On your daily schedule in the planner, block out your time for classes, meetings, or sports. This will give you an idea of when you can study, eat, sleep, watch movies, do homework, get a jump start on essays or hang out with friends. Each and everyday, I know when I have time to do all these things and it's such an easy aid. Lastly, I would get a dry erase board. A small daily one is fine. This is where I write down the class and what was assigned that day, this way I know all week what needs to get accomplished. This might not intrigue a lot of people, but being organized is something I enjoy. If you do all these things, I promise that freshman year will be so much easier. I'm only two weeks into college but while everyone around me is stressing about their classes and assignment, I'm relaxed because I know when I will have the time to do those things.

6. HAVE FUN

Before I came to campus, I didn't adventure out that much. I didn't hang out with friends that often. I focused on sports and school and work. I would go to classes, practice, and come home. College is hard, so you need time to relax and enjoy yourself. Your parents are not around anymore to tell you to clean your room, do laundry, clean the house, etc. You are on your own when it comes to cleanliness and everyone is different. But, when it comes down to the weekend, go HAVE FUN!! You will never regret hanging out with your new friends. They are not here to judge you, they are not here to make fun of you, they met you for a reason. They don't know anything about your prior life in high school, so they are here to hang with you because they enjoy you. Take your friends out, go to dinner, see a movie, go to a "get-together".. you all know what I mean. Just when I say this, be safe. Don't be dumb. All the precautions you learned in high school about college are 100% real no matter where you attend. There are dangers everywhere, but we have been raised in the right manner to know right from wrong. Everyone used to say, "High school is the best 4 years of your life", so far I beg to differ. College has been in session for two weeks and I will never chose to go back to high school because the experience I have gained at this University will never compare to the memories I obtained from High School. Yes, High school was less serious, but College means freedom! Freedom to be who you want to be, freedom to express yourself in the way you always wanted to when you were in High School but were too afraid to show that side to your friends. Come to college, have fun, and don't fall behind. I'm so excited for all of those seniors looking into college right now because they are stressed to the max with applications but once you reach your second home, you'll realize it was all worth it.

This may a whole lot to take in coming into college, it may seem like a lot of advice but trust me, I am a freshman just becoming acquainted with the college lifestyle and I am having the absolute time of my life even while doing all of these things. The next 4 years are going to be the most exciting 4 years of my life thus far and I can not wait to take this journey at full force.