Congratulations, you made it to college.

You’re looking to achieve a higher education and you should give yourself a pat on the back for that. Everything you’ve done in life has gotten you where you are right now. And whether or not you are going were you want to go, you’ll end up were you’re supposed to be—trust me on that.

You’re also about to hear a lot of advice. And I mean a lot. At your graduation party your aunts, uncles and weird relatives are going to have a lot of input about how you should live college based on how they lived out their college experience. You’re going to see a thousand articles about moving in and you’re anticipating making the Pinterest board on your future dorm come to life.

And those are all great things.

But something I wish I hadn’t done my first semester is hide behind the classification of freshman. So what, you’re a newbie to all of this! Life is about to get super exciting. And guess what, you’re not alone. You are about to be surrounded by kids just as confused as you.

But being a freshman is no excuse. Don’t use this year as an excuse to party. Every. Single. Night.

I am not one to lecture anybody on all of this, I’m no expert on life. I’m more human than I’d like to admit, but I just want you to know what I saw and what I wish I had done and not done.

There are a thousand parties in college. No, really. There’s a party almost every night. Happy hour, Specials, Margarita Monday, Frat Jello shot parties.

These happen all the time—but you only have a few tests in college.

Now I’m not saying I’m against some indulgence. Let’s face it, college is hard and there will be many times you’ll need to blow off steam, but also don’t feel like you have to just because “everybody is going”. I promise you the “party of the year” is not the party of the year and there is not shame staying in.

You’re an adult now, you’re not in high school.

College is a choice.

And you’re professors do not care if you choose partying over their class. They have choices too, and most of them will choose to fail you whether or not you frantically email them during finals week.

Don’t use “I’m a freshman” as an excuse to not get involved. I made that mistake.

I didn’t get involved until second semester, and while I still met a lot of people, I wish I had made some of those connections off the bat. You’re going to need friends at some point here. If you think you can do all of this alone, you are going to have a rude awakening in the next year.

Break ups, family deaths, bad moments, great moments, victories and moments you thought you failed but you didn’t—Nobody should go through all of it alone.

You don’t know where you’re going to meet your best friend, so get involved on your campus and truly experience people that are most like you. Most universities are filled with thousands of students, and I promise there are a couple weirdos just like you looking for somebody to share this all with. And making friends will be one of the most uncomfortable things you do. But do it.

Also, there are going to be friendships you make those first couple of months that aren’t going to last. But that’s life. And that’s okay.

This isn’t high school and you shouldn’t feel the need to be friends with everybody.

That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you or them, people grow up and grow a part. I wish I could’ve kept a lot of the friendships I made those first few months, but the right people will fall into your life when they are suppose to and you have trust in that. And also, the wrong friendships are going to shatter and it's going to be hard, but that's why you made more than one friend to experience this all with.

With friends aside, don’t feel lonely when you are alone.

This is an incredible time in your life where you can eat lunch alone and spend a lot of time with yourself. Some of my daily moments alone are what power me through. Mini moments of meditating on the day are so needed, especially when life feels overwhelming.

Everybody around you is in different places in their lives, and you are in your own journey right now. There’s no shame in asking for help, but this is where you get to truly start being an adult and make big decisions based just off of you and your future. If my mom could make all of my decisions for me, I would let her. She’s so wise and she’s listened to me ugly cry so many times. But at the end of the day she always tells me that she can’t decide for me, this is why she sent me to college.

You go to college to grow up.

Don’t let the word “freshman” hold you back from big grown up decisions. You do have three years left after this one, but college goes by way faster than high school.

Don’t be scared to go for a big internship. What’s holding you back?

I’ve heard the same excuse a thousand times, “ I’m only a freshman and I don’t think they will take me seriously” or “I just want to have fun this summer”. Well if you love what you’re doing, it’s not working. This is the rest of your life, you shouldn’t be dreading it. And if you are, start being serious about what you want to do.

Take yourself seriously.

I can’t say it enough, you’re making your own choices and somewhere down the road you’re going to make a poor choice. We are such flawed creatures and if you think you won’t make a mistake in college than I envy your confidence, but I don’t believe you for a second.

But if you are taking yourself seriously, and you love yourself than I promise you things will get better. Don’t ever think of yourself as a joke, or that you’re not smart enough. You made it to college. You are smart enough for this. As many times as I’ve ugly cried on random parts of campus (sorry people of Auburn) I’ve always been reassured by those I love around me that my decisions don't define me, my following actions do. And sometimes I need those friends to call me out on those things.

You are going to be okay.

So welcome, these are some pretty amazing years to come. Love your college, go to the sport games, take risks, talk to strangers and be kind to everyone. We are all going through different journeys, but that doesn’t mean we can’t support each other through this jungle of college.