Earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to be able to leave during finals and see my best friend graduate high school. As I sat with her entire family, sad that they were “losing their girl”, all I could think about was how excited I am for her. How much she is going to gain and grow in the next few months. This fall, she is moving to my college town and living half a mile down the street from me. Pretty exciting for both of us! Although she is scared to leave home, I know she is going to thrive here. She watched me go through this exact same experience last August and I hope she can take away from my experiences, and from the experiences of my friends. There are five important things I want her, and all of you heading off to college, to hold onto during this new and exciting chapter of your life.

1. Always take care of yourself.

Whether its physical or emotional, your needs come first. I understand that college demands so much more of you. More time, more effort, more everything. But when you give more than you have, your physical and emotional health suffer. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been so caught up in the typical college demands that I catch myself sleeping at the most unusual hours and eating the most horrific food. Going to bed at 5 a.m., sleeping until mid-afternoon, skipping all three standard meals, and going on a Taco Bell run at 1 a.m. all take a toll on your body. Sometimes you need to re-evaluate your situation and make a change. Your grades will not suffer if you decide to sleep at normal hours and eat normal meals. I promise. (Warning: this advice does not apply to finals week. Sleep when you can and eat everything you can during that week. You can get back to normal when it’s break.)

2. Get involved.

College opens up a world of opportunities. Whether it be Greek Life, Student Government, or Animal Rights club, there is something for everyone. Most of you are probably going to move away from home and start a new life. The best way to meet people who are like you, is to join things that interest you! I know I would not have nearly as many friends as I do if I was not active on my campus. Getting involved can also open many doors for you. Organizations can boost your resume and allow you to meet people that can impact your life in ways you may not realize now. So go out and join things that you think you may enjoy.

3. Always make time for fun.

College is probably the last time you’ll be able to act independently without having too many rules and obligations. Once you graduate, your 15 credit hours a semester will most likely turn into a 40+ hour work week. This is the time to go out on the weekends and be spontaneous. Don’t have class on Friday’s and want to take a quick road trip? Go for it. Frat party this weekend? Go to it. Concert coming to town? You better go see it. Soon enough you’ll have to request time off of work, get a babysitter, pet sitter, and house sitter in order to go just about anywhere. That may seem like a faraway place, but I promise it will fly by. This year, my parents had to constantly remind me that I cannot skip out on the fun of being a college kid because soon enough I will be an adult. I cannot tell you enough how true that is.

4. Do not fixate on your intended major.

You are most likely fresh out of high school and have only been offered a fraction of the classes available in college. You are probably also feeling some pressure from your parents. I know I did. My mom and I planned my entire future my sophomore year of high school! I originally came to school with the intent to be a Biology Major and go to dental school. That quickly changed. I knew from taking one college biology course that there is no way I was going to suffer through that for four years. Now I’m an English Education Major. Pretty drastic change if you ask me. Fortunately, I got my parents on board with the idea that it’s not always about money and that I want to be happy with my future career. I am now so excited to be a high school English teacher! So, do not declare a major and swear by it. College is about finding yourself and if yourself is not going to be happy with a Biology degree, then by all means, check out the Education program.

5. Do what makes YOU happy.

Not your parents, not your boyfriend, not your friends. You are here to grow, learn, and achieve so much. That cannot effectively happen if you are constantly trying to make others happy. You cannot truly make those around you happy if you aren’t. Sometimes you need to take a step back and focus on yourself. There is no shame in that. There will constantly be people telling you how to live, but you know yourself better than anyone else. So if you want to change your major, change it. If you want to join an organization, join it. If you want to have fun, have it. If you need to focus on your physical and mental health, focus on it. You have more freedom now than ever to take control of your life, embrace it.