Dear freshman,

Congratulations! You're all packed up and ready to head off to college. For many of you, this might be the first time you are actually away from your parents and, quite frankly, you're scared. For others, this is basically something you are accustomed to and you have been going away every summer for the past few years to some extracurricular activity or a form of summer school. For those that have never been away, let this calm you down: everything is going to be all right. Yeah, you're going to be in a very unfamiliar place with new people and new professors, but you're going to do just fine.

Move-in day might be the hardest day for you, especially since it can become a hectic ball of worry. My first piece of advice to you is this: let your parents set your room up for you. Help them, of course, but let them take the reins. This might be the last time they see you for a while, especially if you have no way to get home and a phone call really won't do. Afterward, get to know your roommate (or roommates, if you're like me and you have multiple). He or she will be your basically one of the people you see the most over the coming months.

Also, get to know your campus and surrounding town well. Don't be stuck in the same rut that has you never leaving your dorm room or even the campus. Go out, explore, find some weird things about the town you might have never found out before. College is about exploring and finding yourself in the midst of getting a college education. Find some extracurricular activities, such as the Student Government, sports teams, intramurals, and get involved with them.

There's also the other side of college that no one tells you about. In the four years you spend in college, you more than likely will drink (and it's okay if you don't; that's the beauty of it, it is a choice). You might also think that you'll find the love of your life and have a whimsical relationship. But that isn't important. Let that come to you if you really want it, and don't search for it.

College is an amazing experience, and those years will fly by even faster than high school. All you have to do though is stop and savor it. Also, make sure you actually go to class and don't skip entire classes!