I officially finished my first semester of college about two weeks ago, so lately I’ve been thinking about where I am right now and where I was a year ago.

I can remember being a second semester senior in high school like it was yesterday . . . mostly because it basically was yesterday. It’s crazy to think that I graduated only six months ago, and that I’ve been in college for about three of those months. It simultaneously feels longer and shorter and serves as a reminder that time moves faster and faster these days.

So, here’s just some advice to this year’s second semester seniors:

DON’T WISH IT AWAY.

Seriously. I know everyone tells you that. I remember being told that and rolling my eyes, because why wouldn’t I want to wish it away? I hated high school for the most part, and the day I graduated was one of the best days of my life, so this is how you know to trust what I’m about to say.

High school is familiar. You have the parking spot you park in every single morning. You have the same classes with the people you’ve known since middle school. You have your football and basketball and soccer games and your own bedroom and everything is just there for you. In college, you’re on your own in a new place with new people. And that’s fun, but it’s also lonely. You essentially have to start all over again and fend for yourself, and that can be extremely daunting. No one will be there to tell you to go to class or clean up your room or do your homework and go to sleep, and while that’s cool sometimes, other times you realize how nice it was to have people actually be concerned and involved in your life.

Cherish the last few moments you have with your teachers and your friends, because once everyone goes their separate ways, you realize how many people you only spoke to simply because you saw them in school. Enjoy having everyone together at the same time, and enjoy being at the top of the food chain, because next year you’re at the bottom again.

DON’T SLACK OFF.

I cannot stress this enough. I know it’s tempting, believe me. But what your teachers are saying is true: even though it’s the final stretch, it doesn’t mean you can just stop doing your work and going to class. School still matters. These final grades definitely still matter. Colleges can still check how you’re doing even after they’ve accepted you, and while it’s unlikely, just pretend that they could at any moment and let it reflect in your work. Finish strong.

Third and finally:

DON’T MESS THIS UP.

Once you get accepted into school, it’s easy to think that you’re invincible; that you have someplace to go after you graduate so you can just let loose. That’s not true. If you do something stupid, even outside of school, it can affect your entire life. Be smart and be safe. Have fun, but don’t lose focus.

But above all, enjoy it! Senior year was crazy and stressful, but I also had a lot of newfound freedom and remember being so excited with all of the privileges and activities that came with it. High school may not be the best four years of your life, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t make the last one a good one.