Since I started the fall quarter of college, I have learned a lot about myself and about living with others. College has been a time for growth and a time for realizing things about myself that I had not known before. Here are 21 things I have learned since entering college.

1. Some people, no matter how smart they appear to be, still cannot manage to flush the toilet after they pee.

2. Although sleeping with the window open can be extremely nice, it is extremely annoying when people decide to hold loud conversations outside your window.

3. Pizza is acceptable for every meal.

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4. Look up your professors on ratemyprofessor.com before you sign up for classes.

5. Running on very little sleep can take a toll on you, no matter what people say.

6. Stay on top of your work. It piles up really quickly when your professor assigns five papers, 18 projects, and four homework assignments all due the same day.

7. Maybe you’ll meet someone you click with and maybe you won’t, but if you are lucky enough to do so, do not take it for granted.

8. Everyone is scared, whether or not they acknowledge it or talk about it, everyone is scared and feels confused about what to do about their life and their future.

9. It is ok to make a mistake. It is not ok to make that mistake over and over again though.

10. A dance party will not fix your problems, but it sure won’t make them any worse.

11. You will do stupidly embarrassing things, just try and move past it.

12. Do not be afraid to ask for a hug or even just for moral support; it’s ok to need help.

13. Be confident in yourself, because at the end of the day you only have yourself.

14. Going home for the holidays will be harder than you thought. You will feel your freedom taken away and not many people warn you about this prior to the holidays, but it will all be ok. You will survive.

15. You will feel exhausted and overwhelmed and when you do, it’s ok to give yourself a break and have some ‘you time’.

16. You do not need to post every alcoholic drink or illegal drug you do on your Snapchat story.

17. Very few people in college actually know what they want to do with their life; it’s ok to not know. Take a variety of classes and take advantage of the opportunity you’re given.

18. Be there for your friends, no matter what.

19. It’s ok to not be ok.

20. Things will be different when you go home and that is normal.

21. You may not understand why you do the things you do or why you feel the way you do and that is ok.

College is a stressful time. It is a time in which you learn a lot about yourself. However, it is a time for personal growth and realization as well.