1. Keep a sweatshirt in your backpack.

As someone going to school in Florida, I dress for the Florida weather. That means shorts and t-shirts almost everyday. Consequentially, most classes are air conditioned and I get pretty cold. Pulling out a sweatshirt in the arctic — your two hour lecture — makes life just a little better.

2. Find a way of studying that works for you.

For me, it's quizzing my friends. I get to see the question and the answer as well as explain if they don’t understand, which furthers my understanding. Which means a good grade.

3. Save the Netflix for when you don’t have homework.

I don’t know where the stereotype of college students blazing through series after series on Netflix came from because I watched a grand total of two episodes on Netflix my first semester. Second semester has a little more time because I know what works for me… And I take my iPad to the gym so I can watch while I bike.

4. Keep water bottles in your room.

One thing that is true about college is getting sick. I am constantly feeling sluggish, partially from cafeteria food but also from being dehydrated. Add in that you can substitute those late night cravings for a bottle of water and you just might stave off that freshman-15.

5. Have a couple outfits that you can wear any time.

I bought a green t-shirt dress for a football game to show some school spirit (Go Fins!), but I ended up wearing it all the time. I can dress it up with wedges for a night out or pair it with some converses for a theater production on campus. Find a shirt that brings out your eyes, pants that make ya booty look fly, some lucky socks and get ready to conquer the world. Or you know, campus.

6. Laundry must be done. If you think you can stretch your wardrobe till this weekend you are wrong.

I hate doing laundry. I hate folding it, putting it away and trying to remember if something needs washed or if I just threw on the ground because I'm the worst. But you know what I hate more? Having to wear church clothes to my early morning class because I have nothing clean to wear.

7. Learn to like new foods.

To my parents’ dismay, I am the pickiest of eaters. It sucks. The cafeteria would serve a bunch of weird foods I’d never heard of. I got sick of eating Rice Crispies everyday so I tried some of the mystery food on buffet... and didn’t die. You won’t see me chowing down on some steamed veggies, but my salad is a little more colorful and my taste buds are a little more refined.

8. Go to all the free stuff.

You will be broke. This is inevitable. Go to the free events, get the free t-shirt and maybe even some free extra credit.

9. Learn to enjoy being on your own.

You are going to be surrounded by people 24/7. Sometimes you just need an hour to yourself so that you don’t snap on them. Be comfortable going to dinner by yourself, studying in the library for a couple hours on your own or just sitting in your room, taking a breather.

10. Treat school like a job.

I got this advice from a person who’s someone I really look up to and respect. She did really well in college and is now living the dream, so it’s a reliable piece of advice. It’s probably the most important point on this list, so here’s the lowdown. Treat the school week like the work week; you wouldn’t show up to a job hung over so don’t show up to class hung over. Don’t skip class because you wouldn’t skip work. You wouldn’t be disrespectful to your boss so don’t be disrespectful to your teacher. College is fun but you are here to learn. If its the end of semester and you're this close to an A, the professor will bump you up if they know you worked hard. It's the little things that make the big difference.