Parents crying, caps and gowns being checked twice, making sure that all cords and tassels are accounted for, cameras flashing, and smiles widening! This is the all-too-familiar chapter in our lives known as high school graduation! It is something that you will never forget, even if some of you may want to.

One of the biggest mistakes that I made during my transition from high school senior to college freshman was in what I was expecting. College is much harder than the classes that you took in high school or even the classes that you took at your local community college as a dual enrollment student.

You have to study!

Do not expect to go into a test or quiz in college without studying and get a passing grade! There are some classes that do not require much, but then there are classes that require a lot. In high school, we got used to looking over our notes quickly in the minutes before the tests were handed out. In college, you could study for multiple hours and still not do as well as you wanted on an assignment. So, study!

Also, explore your essay writing options the summer before you enter as a college freshman. I know this all too well because it happened to me. Your teachers expected you to write papers in MLA throughout every class that required you to write. You got used to it and comfortable with it, so it became your safe-zone. Well, in college, depending on your major's subject area, you may have to write in MLA, APA, or even Chicago style! So, get to looking at what you may need to do for your intended major.

Finally, do all of the things that you want to do over the summer. I brought 10 books with me to school, expecting to have some downtime during my first year. I was completely, 100 percent wrong. You do not have much time for anything other than the triad of succeeding at college (sleep, good grades, social life). So, if you were hoping that you could read the next big book by your favorite author or to get some painting in during school (but you aren't an art major), then I would do it over the summer before you leave.

Most importantly, have fun! Do not waste your summer away doing things that don't matter to you. Spend time with your family and friends. Go to the beach if you're moving to the mountains. Stay up late and watch movies or TV shows. Work hard and make money. Travel somewhere.

Be the kind of person who can have a great time, but still know when to get serious.

Be extraordinary.

However, out of all of this, be you. You will definitely find your niche quickly if you stay true to who you are!

Have fun, live it up, and get ready for the time of your life!