For a good deal of recent high school graduates, packing up clothes and books in preparation to move into college is nothing short of thrilling. This is it: the moment that made waiting through senior year of high school worth it. Move-In Day. And not long after, orientation weekend.

Here I am, a freshman going into her third week of college. These are the things I did (or failed to do) that I want you to know about, all so you can survive Freshman Orientation, too.

I spent far too much time caring about the way I looked because I wanted everybody to like me. Plainly said, some people will not like you, regardless of how friendly, kind, or funny you are. Give it time, and you will find the people who are similar to you, and they might not be those people you first meet, or they might be. Have an open mind and be patient, and then people who were meant to be in your life will find their way to you.

Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to new people. This is probably one of the few times in your life where it is totally normal to go up to someone in line for pizza and ask them to be your best friend. Roll with the dice; you’ll meet some incredible people just by playing the game.

We all know (and most of us love) ice breaker games. Yes, the awkwardness of someone trying too hard, or the annoyance of having a group member who doesn’t care enough can make you question the purpose of playing such trivial games in the first place. Don’t let this stop you from revealing your truest self in your orientation group. College is easily the best time of your life to let the person you’ve kept inside come out. Embrace it, and everybody else will, too.

We’ve all been there: you’re tired, hungry, or itching to get out and spend some time with new friends. Actually, you could be all three of those things at once. Still, push through all those safety/awareness talks. You may think that you know everything about how to keep yourself safe, or you may think that your campus is too safe for bad things to happen. Keeping an ear out for important information, locations, and phone numbers will benefit you in the long run and give you a direct place to turn to barring that something bad happens. It won’t happen to you... until it does.

Use this homework-less time to explore the campus and get to know your new home. I often enjoyed taking walks with some people from my orientation group or people who live down the hall from my room so we could reconnoiter the school together. Also, I would recommend taking a quick walkthrough of your classes prior to the first day. You’ll feel relieved knowing you already know where everything is.

Don’t skip orientation activities, optional or not. The schedule of events is meticulously planned so that you become more comfortable with the school in time for the first day of classes. My orientation group has had to wait for people to begin activities, when those people never had the intention of coming in the first place. Strive not to be that person. Try to avoid oversleeping; there are plenty of weekends to come where you can sleep until 4 pm if that is what your heart desires.

Above all else, enjoy this time. Orientation is a time of bonding, unity, and the beginning of what could be the friendships of a lifetime. There will be few other times where you won’t have homework, practices, meetings, or exams hanging over you and holding you back from spending time with your classmates. Enjoy it while you have it.

Freshman Orientation is the first step into the rest of your life. Get excited, the world is waiting for you!