1. Put out your best effort not to be late or miss classes. Pay attention to your syllabi-- some professors actually do care about attendance, contrary to what stereotypes show. Save your missed classes for when you get sick in the winter months... and trust me, you will get sick.

2. Don't be afraid to reach out to your professors. If you're sick, tell them. If you have a question about an assignment or grade, or don't understand some of the course content, reach out to them. Email or make an office hours appointment. They are there to help you, you just have to put in the effort.

3. Learn which assignments you can and can't slack off on. Ideally, I'd say don't slack off at all and always give 100%, but of all people, I know that isn't realistic. So this is what I will say: pay attention to how many points assignments are worth and which classes they are for. If it's a big assignment for a class you aren't doing well in, head to the library and get it done. If it's a 10 point assignment for your easy-A class, pound it out and go to that party. Related to that, don't procrastinate and try to do your homework early in the weekends so you're not freaking out come Sunday at 6 p.m. like I do. P.S.-- your profs probably won't remind you about assignments so stay on top of your syllabi!

4. That being said, social life is important too! You're allowed to let loose and blow off steam sometimes! You'll be a lot happier if you set aside a little time to get meals with friends and relax in the quad (P.S. this is NOT me telling you to procrastinate!). On the weekends, don't be afraid to live it up with your friends-- an adventurous night out is worth a late night, sleep till noon, (maybe hungover) on Sunday sometimes.

5. Fit as much clothing as you can in the washers/dryers. Or if you live close enough, go home to do your laundry (the machines are bigger and cleaner).

6. Check in the crevices of the machines before you leave it for someone else to use. Spin the drum and make sure you didn't miss any of your clothes.

7. Go to the gym. Just do it. Either play a sport or go to the gym. I promise you, if you transition to college without some form of exercise, you will regret it at the end of your freshman year. Freshman15 is a real thing. Plus, the school more likely than not has a gym that you automatically get a free membership to when you enroll. Take advantage of that.

8. Keep your room clean, especially living in dorm style housing. People will be in and out of your room ALL of the time, and you have a roommate... So tidy up every now and then.

9. Keep your door open! Coming in as a freshman and not knowing anyone can be scary and anxiety-provoking, but the best decision I made was leaving my door open whenever I was in my room. Everyone is in the same boat and trying to meet potential friends-- take advantage of it while you can and meet as many people as possible!

10. Just know, you will not be BFFs with everyone you meet in the first few weeks or even months of school. You're going to meet so many new people that you might not even remember their names. Take your time getting to know people and pick your friends carefully. I know clinging to people I met right off the bat my freshman year turned into befriending people I would never have seen myself as friends with.

11. Don't worry too much or try too hard to make friends. You'll eventually find your people and where you're meant to be. I go to a school where I don't fit in in the slightest, yet I have amazing friends who are better to me than my high school friends ever were. There are good people out there, you've just got to find them.

12. Don't overestimate yourself, but don't underestimate yourself either. Make sure you're not enrolling in classes you won't be able to keep up with, but make sure you're getting challenged. You're paying for college, so make it count! My advice is talk to your parents or a favorite high school teacher-- just someone who knows you and your ability well-- to make sure you're on the right track academically.

13. If you need to, go to the dining hall alone. Everyone minds their own business. If you're really worried though, avoid rush hours. Eating is important to keep your energy up and you need all the energy you can get.

14. Don't leave open food out. First of all, things spoil and then you're wasting money, and we allllll know college kids need every cent they can get. Second, it will attract flies and other nasty things, which you don't want in the first place and they're hard to get rid of.

15. Try not to take morning classes, unless you're a morning person I guess. My thought process registering for courses freshman year was "I got up at 6 a.m. in high school so I can definitely make it to a 9 a.m. on time in college!" Boy was I wrong. You're staying up later and doing other activities in college. You probably won't make it on time. Take later classes if possible, maybe an 11am. This might turn into don't be a science major... lots of science-y classes are only offered between 8 and 10 a.m.

16. Take some time for yourself each day. Growing up an only child, this was something I struggled with my freshman year. Going from only having my dog and parents around to nag me, I went to college where there's always a bunch of kids around. Try to steal some time alone in your room if you feel like you need it.

17. Don't overload on the extracurriculars. I know it's tempting to go to that activities fair and sign up for every thing you've ever wanted to try, but restrain yourself. Even though you're in class for less time than in high school, you'll have triple the amount of work, and constantly around your friends. Trying to keep up with too many things will have a negative effect on your health. Pick a couple things to do first semester, and if you can handle it, add some more. You don't want to end up compromising by not getting any sleep, do you?

18. When you're trying to find yourself, don't lose yourself. When I came to college, I knew who I was and I liked it. People always say college is when you get to explore and figure out who you want to be, but I feel like I lost myself more than found myself. This could have something to do with me not fitting in or having things in common with my classmates, but be weary. Make a conscious effort to make sure you keep the good qualities you already have.

19. Be respectful of common spaces and other peoples' property. Follow community living rules. This might seem like it only benefits others, but it helps you out too. If you're respectful, people will like you.

20. Don't make dating a priority. Get to know people and make friends. College is your first taste of freedom and independence, so learn how to be an individual. You don't need the stress, time commitment, or distractions of a relationship as soon as you move in. (but hey, if you meet a cutie and he offers to help you move all your boxes into your room... he's a keeper)

21. Try new things. College is the perfect opportunity to get involved with something new-- there's so many options. If you don't see something you find interesting right away (doubtful), look into the school's activity board, etc. Reach out to classmates or try the school's websites. I'm sure you'll find something. This also goes for foods and classes! Most colleges, especially liberal arts school, have curriculum requirements besides major/degree requirements. If you've gotta take a history class, there's plenty of options so pick something that sounds at least a little interesting to you.

22. Keep snacks in your room. Great for late night study sessions or when you've got 10 minutes before your next class and you haven't eaten all day. Try easy mac, cup-o-noodles (ramen requires a bowl), granola bars, individual bags of chips, and keep some microwaveable freezer food for when you're a little hungrier. Personally I prefer bagel bites and homemade enchiladas :)

23. It might seem obvious, maybe so obvious you'd forget about them: household items! Clorox wipes, paper towels, silverware, cups, plates, bowls, trash bags, q-tips, extra toothbrushes, rubbing alcohol, a can opener, ziploc baggies, stain remover, a flashlight, air freshener, hand sanitizer, a fan, a lint roller, power strips, a thermometer. You'll thank me later.

24. A printer. Schools have printers obviously, but do you really want to walk all the way to the library at 4 a.m. to print that assignment? NO. Printers are cheap, get yourself one, but only use it when you really need to so you don't waste a lot of money on ink!

25. Follow your instincts. For example, if you really feel like you should be majoring in something and that's where you want to be and it's what you love, don't let anyone talk you out of it. Follow your own path.

Remember: It will all work out in the end! Don't stress too much. *good vibes*

(Credit to Natasha Kerr for helping with some tips)