Dear incoming college freshmen,

Welcome to the big leagues.

You're about to enter into your first of many years at whatever given university you've chosen to attend. You might be there for two years, or three. For most, you'll be there for four. For some, five. But no matter how long it takes for you to earn your degree, this year is the most important.

For the most part, we students travel for college. We choose a university that is an hour or more away from our hometowns, which thrusts us into an unfamiliar territory with unfamiliar people. Our parents are no longer right down the hall, they are counties or states away. Our old friends are scattered across the nation. Our usual restaurants and hang out spots are miles away, and the comfort of our own rooms is no longer there. These familiar safety blankets are all ripped away with one simple move into our new dorms, and we are faced with the sudden reality that we are growing up. This might be a relief, but it might also be terrifying. For me, it was both.

Classes won't be easy. Whether you have thirteen students in your class, or three-hundred, your professor will not cater to you, and the workload will be tough. With an average of five classes, you'll be responsible for multiple papers and projects throughout the semester, as well as group activities, nightly homework, reading before classes, and quizzes almost every week. The work will pile up quickly, so stay on top of it from the very first week.

Go to class. Even if your professor doesn't take attendance, still go. If you don't understand the content, you'll be able to ask your professor questions or stay after class for personal help. You might even find a new friend or a study group to lean on when finals week begins to loom overhead. You're paying to go to this university, so why not use what you've been paying for?

Make some friends. Talk to the people in your hall and on your campus. Find people outside of your major to hang out with, and stay up late with them occasionally. Even if you're like me and you're not the most sociable individual, force yourself to operate outside of your comfort zone every so often.

Stay active, eat healthy. Many of us make the mistake of eating whenever we want, laying in bed all day, and never even thinking about the gym. I made this mistake myself, actually. But the more active you are and the healthier food you eat, the better you'll feel. Waking up for those early classes will be easier, going out with your friends will feel less like a chore, and you'll remember more when it comes to tests and examinations.

Get involved in at least one school activity. It could be a club, a community service group, a discipleship group, or even a school sport. It'll force you out of your room and introduce you to new people, which is never a bad thing. And, hello! - resume builders much?

Don't search for your soulmate. First of all, the chances of you finding the person you'll marry in your first year of college are slim, but they're even slimmer if both of you are stressed out from classes and social lives. This year is the year that you establish yourself as a college student, and it's perfectly okay to be alone during this time. Does that mean you can't date?--no! But dating isn't everything.

And please, please get enough sleep. Sleep is vital to your health in college and in life. Are the all-nighters and binge-watching fun?--sure. But when you've failed your morning classes because you failed to show up enough times, or when you fall asleep during the day and don't complete all of your work, you'll regret not sleeping enough. Your memory will suffer, your health will suffer, and mental breakdowns will become a norm for you. Don't let that happen. Set yourself up for success and sleep.

These tips don't even begin to cover all of the points of freshman year. But this year is so vital to the rest of your educational career, please believe me. If you start off on the right foot, then it'll be much easier for you to stay on top of your education for each subsequent year, and you'll be graduated before you know it. Start off on the wrong foot, and you just might be kicked out before you can ever earn that degree.

Relax. Enjoy the rest of your summer. Take plenty of pictures on your move-in day. Talk to people at freshman orientation. Work hard. You can do it.

Sincerely,

EH