The further I get into my college career, the more I learn not only about college-ing but about adult-ing as well. These past three and a half years have been a literal rollercoaster, filled with personal ups and downs that have left me feeling a whole range of emotions, from incredibly excited to slightly nauseous.

Looking back, I’ve discovered that many of these lessons are similar to ones that one of my favorite movie characters has learned. Princess Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, otherwise known as Mia Thermopolis, is the star of “The Princess Diaries.”

While I haven’t recently learned that I’m the future ruler of a small European country like she did, I've found that there are surprisingly many parallels between being a princess and being a college student.

So, here are just a few of the lessons I've learned, illustrated by the great Clarisse Renaldi, Queen of Genovia and Mia's grandmother.

1. Procrastination is never the answer

Oddly enough, it's taken three plus years for me to realize that wasting time and not doing tasks required of me, like homework or paying bills, has less than desirable consequences. Working on my responsibilities as they arise instead of waiting until the last minute and completing them in an unorganized hurry has reduced the number of grey hairs I sprout on the daily.

I know, ground-breaking revolutions I've had.

2. Remember the P's and Q's

Maybe it's the Midwestern coming out in me, but being polite is incredibly important in daily life. Whether it's to make a perfect first impression or to avoid offending someone, remembering simple rules like "Say 'Please' and 'Thank You'" and how to properly address a professor is one of the crucial aspects of how seriously people will take me.

3. Don't skimp on the toilette

Throughout my adolescence, I had some troubles with acne and wild, unruly hair. Yeah, I showered and practiced other cleanliness habits, don't doubt it. However, it seems like anything I did had no effect or had a very negative effect.

It honestly came down to two causes: I didn't have the right supplies to fight my war, and I didn't even know what the problem was, so I couldn't get the right ammunition even if I wanted to. Now that I'm older, I've been able to invest time and money into discovering the best way to clean and maintain my hair and face.

Now, I'm not waking up at 5 a.m. every morning to expertly makeup my face and tease my hair into the perfect messy bun. I quite enjoy what little sleep I do get. I'm just willing to do a bit more legwork for a much healthier Marisa.

4. Think before acting

I'm naturally the type of personality who already does this. Very rarely will I act rashly. The older I get, the more this trait is cemented into who I am. I'd rather take my time making sure I truly speak my mind than speak without thinking and risk sounding like a pompous bunghole. That's not on my list of preferred adjectives.

5. Have a little fun

I'm an incredibly involved individual. Between my regularly-scheduled classes, my part-time job, and my other extracurricular activities, I used to forget that I'm a human with basic human needs, like relaxation time and a social life.

Taking my focus from my required activities and putting more of an emphasis on, well, fun seems like a piece of cake to some. To me, however, it was a lifestyle change of sorts. I'm much better at the whole "having fun" thing now.

6. Speak your mind

As hard as it may be to some, I remember a time when I was not only shy, I rarely talked to people outside my immediate friends and family circle. Thankfully, I've come to realize that people aren't as scary as I thought they were. With that realization, I've also better found my voice and my opinion to back it up. While I'm still a work in progress, I'm better at defending myself and my beliefs. *self five*

7. Keep it together!

I have the tendency to freak out over small issues. As stressful as life is, I've learned that I can't freak out about every little problem. For example, when I have a paper due tomorrow, I can't spaz out about the local McDonald's ice cream machine being broken. I just have to deal with some Ben and Jerry's from Wal-Mart (twist my arm) and write the stinking paper.

8. Good posture is needed

As much as I hate to admit it, my mother was right to make me sit up straight when I was younger. I realized when looking at a picture for one of my previous articles that I low key have terrible posture. So, to avoid being an upside-down U in my future adult life, I've recently been consciously working on straightening my posture.

I've discovered that I not only look less like a scary Disney witch but I also feel more confident. I didn't realize that I was lacking confidence because of my slump until I felt more powerful doing the opposite.

Moral of the story: Listen to your parents, kids. They might know what they're talking about.

9. Be friendly

Okay, so I don't actually know how to flirt any better than when I was in high school. If anything, I'm even more mystified by the concept. However, I do know that there is power in being open and friendly with people. Though, the fan is optional, in my experience.

10. Different roles require different attitudes

While I'm always Marisa, I've learned that I need to act differently when I'm addressing my professors as a student than when I'm chatting with my friends. There are separate languages and practices for all situations, and I've learned to more easily adapt to the separations.

These are only some of the many lessons I've learned over the years. All in all, I'm a much more wise individual, but I still have a long ways to go before I'll be able to officially label myself as an adult. Until then, here's to all the lessons to come!