A couple years ago when I first came to college, I wrote a bunch of advice to my younger friends on how to survive their future freshmen years. I am going to Coastal Carolina University which is a school by the beach, which I didn't realize meant how different the weather would be like.

It is also three hours away from my home and in a different state. I was the only one I knew who was going to this school and it was scary to really be on your own. Regardless, I survived my freshman year! This is a collection of ideas and tips that I lived through and wrote down.

Everyone's college experience is different, even at the same school, but I like to believe that every freshman comes across similar issues and events. Hopefully, this advice can help you get through your first year at college and/or to mentally prepare you for what to expect.

1. Living on campus is going to be the most fun you could have, and it's completely different than anything else you've experienced.

This will be a really fun time in your life and it goes by extremely fast, unbelievably so, so keep that in mind and enjoy every day!

2. Keep plenty of food in your room, you won’t want to go to the dining hall for every snack

3. The Freshmen 15 is a real thing because of your meal plan and the buffet style of your mess hall.

So, watch out for that. Try eating one plate every meal or eat a lot and work it all off in order to avoid gaining fifteen pounds!

4. Your roommate might not be your best friend and that can actually, be a good thing.

5. Be respectful to your roommate and if you're doing something that bothers them, listen to their requests.

Do the same to them. If something is bothering you, don't be afraid to confront them, it shouldn't have to turn into a fight. Don't bottle things up when you can talk about them.

6. If you're having trouble with your roommate don't be afraid to talk to them or a Residence Hall Advisor.

7.You actually have to study.

You're going to have more free time then you're going to know what to do with and that is a lot of fun. But, put hours aside each week for studying and homework. Giving yourself time to do tasks in advice will save your life (and your sleep schedule). If you wait till the last minute you won't learn as much, you'll feel bad about yourself and life in general, you'll most likely have to pull an all-nighter and you'll want to die.

Please for the love of god don't put yourself in the position where you have to pull an all-nighter. Study multiple days ahead of time. And if you finish your assignments and essays early it's the best and most liberating sensation ever. Please do that instead. (Plus you just might inspire others)

8. Put all of your syllabuses into one master calendar so you know when things are due for every class and you won't be surprised.

Also, read your syllabuses, they will be your new friends.

9.Walk the campus and get a familiar feel for it.

Don't be afraid to ask strangers where things are. Map out the quickest routes you can take to get to each of your classes. Give yourself enough time to get ready for the day and make it to your class five or ten minutes early.

10. Sit in the front, middle of the class and introduce yourself to your professor, tell them you're excited about their class.

Being friendly with them will come in handy. They will see you are serious about your education and will help you out when the time comes.

11. Your professor won't force you to take notes but you'll really want them when exams roll around; if they repeat something it means it's important.

12. Asking questions in class can feel daunting but having your professor explain a subject better will help you do better in the class and that is well worth any momentary butterflies.

Also, don't be afraid to approach your teacher or take advantage of their office hours. They appreciate it when students show an interest in their class and wanting to do well in it. Talking to your professor will help you out a lot!

13. When you write your professors, emails be formal and introduce yourself so they know who you are.

Dear Professor X,

My name is X X and I'm in your English 101 class at 10:30 a.m. I was wondering if...

Sincerely,
Your Name.

14. Don't ask for help or an extension a couple hours before the due date of the assignment.

That's super annoying for professors. Also, try not to email them at midnight because they have lives and sleep schedules too.

15. If you're struggling with a class or an assignment, ask for help!

There are going to be a lot of tutors on campus that are paid to help people in your exact position. It's not weak or weird or scary to ask for help. You've got this.

16. Adapt to the weather climate. You might be going somewhere you haven't spent a lot of time in.

For example, you might be going to school at, well, let's say a beach in the South and you didn't realize it was so windy and it rained all the time, and like, sure the temperature gauge says it's 50 degrees but it really feels like 60 degrees. You're going to have to look into and expect stuff like that. You're going to forget about the climate change so just keep that in mind and prepare ahead of time.

17. Keep an umbrella on your person at all times because nothing is worse than having to walk through the pouring rain when you have your laptop or textbooks in your bag. Be prepared for the lightning storms and other inconvenient weather phenomena.

18. Branch out

Whether that means going to campus events you wouldn't normally, talking to people in general, or going to a party, go out and do something new. You never know what'll happen, you might even discover a part of you likes that new thing you did. Have fun, do new things, make new friends.

19. Friends are pretty important so don't be afraid to talk to people.

And don't be afraid to not talk to those people if they start to bother you. Your comfort is important and sometimes friendships just don't work out. Happens all the time.

20. Learn what's nearby in terms of (cheap and fun) things to do, like shopping places, cool cafes, the waffle house, and cookout.You can never go wrong with laser tag, remember that.

21. Mail becomes exciting all of a sudden.

It makes you feel happy and loved. And you can totally send letters to your family members, they'll really love that a whole lot.

22. Don't forget about your family or your friends back home. Give them a call every now and again. That becomes really important, especially to them.

23. It's normal not to know everyone or anyone in your classes but exchanging contact information with at least one person will save you if you can't make it to class one day and they took notes.

24. Nobody cares what you are wearing or what you look like and it is extremely liberating. Embrace that onesie life, my friend.

Have fun with your wardrobe and express yourself in whatever way makes you happy! (One of the best parts is that no one really cares about what you're doing).

25. Also, nobody cares if you just roll out of bed and go to class. Do whatever gets you there. You're on this campus to learn and go to class, not to look perfect.

26. Here's the time to find yourself! Figure out what makes you happy and do it. Don't be afraid of what people think of you.

You will make friends and find like-minded people doing the things that make you happy. Have fun and learn something new about yourself. Embrace those opportunities. Always be yourself, never be afraid to be that.

27. You aren't paying all that money to skip class all the time, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

That being said, set aside a couple skip-days to have some fun or prepare for being ill! Mental health days are also a thing, be good to yourself.

28. You get out of college what you put into it, so put in some effort and some fun.

29. Do well in school but you do not have to be perfect. Don't stress yourself out.

Nobody can possibly be perfect and everyone in your field is going to get jobs similar to you whether they have all A's or not. Push yourself to a healthy extent but don't overdo it. It'll be fine no matter what, you've got this. You don't have to be the best in the class you just have to learn the information so you can apply it outside of school and/or later in life.

30. Enjoy the outdoors. Don't stay cooped up in your dorm room no matter how tempting and cozy it may be.

It's good to go out and get a perspective and new experiences from new places. Walk around, study someplace new, hang out somewhere different. You never know what'll happen, you might stumble upon your new favorite place.

31. Be careful about how much money you spend on things. Make sure those things are necessary. Don't stress about money though, try not to stress about things like that.

32. If you decide you want to drink, do it slowly, responsibly, and drink water or else you'll get a hangover.

You do not have to drink or do drugs just because a lot of other people are doing that. Don't let groups of people convince you to do something you don't want to. Also, be careful at parties and if you see something that isn't good, speak up and stop it. You just might save someone.

33. Having a night out every once in a while can be really fun and a great break from normal school studying. Put some money away for nights like those. Have fun, be smart. It'll be awesome.

34. You should really take advantage of your on-campus gym. It's probably free and has a whole bunch of cool equipment. If you're nervous, take a friend or two with you.

If you're worried about people judging or making fun of you tell yourself two things: 1) Who cares what another person cares about me? I'm doing this to be better for myself and they have no power over that. 2) I'm never going to see any of these people ever again in my entire life (in four years) so does their random stranger opinion really matter? No. It doesn't.

35. You do not have to compromise your sleep schedule because you want to stay up until 1 or 3 in the morning hanging out with people or watching Netflix.

Your body and brain needs rest. Give that to yourself. If you become sleep deprived your life will be harder than it needs to be. Please get enough sleep. Please.

36. Be open to new ideas and new activities.

37. Understand that all these people all come from different backgrounds and have morals that are different than yours.

38. Whiteboards are both fun and useful for homework.

39. Note cards are your best friends now.

40. Don't run out of pens and pencils, also, have high lighters handy.

41. Storage containers and other such things are also your friends now.

42. You can never have too many pillows or blankets.

43. Get an alarm clock that will wake you up for sure especially if you're a heavy sleeper.

44. You aren't obligated to become friends with your roommate.

Sometimes you just don't pair well. Don't go in expecting a friendship because everyone has their own agenda and own likes and dislikes. That being said, be respectful. If you have an issue, mention it to their face (don't leave sticky-notes). Talk it out without making it a huge ordeal, don't say things like "we need to talk".

Depending on the situation, you can probably just shoot them a text. If things get heavier and harder to handle, talk to your RA or whoever runs your dorm hallway. Sometimes, you just need room switches, but don't worry about it too much!

45. Don't be that person who leaves their clothes in the washing machine for five hours after they are done so no one else can use it. Please.

46. This is going to be one of the best times of your life. Enjoy yourself and do not turn into a ball of stress!

Things always work out. You're going to do great. Also, don't worry about things you can't change and don't focus on being perfect in and out of class.