Well, another school year and summer has come and gone. Now, a whole new year of classes is right before us. The 8 AMs, the exams, the papers, and finals week. A whole new slate for all of us. Some of us are used to all this by now, but we forget the freshman who are not used to all of it. We all were in their shoes at one point, scared and excited. Not really having an idea what we were doing. Here is what I wish I had known as a college freshman.

Freshman,

Freshie. Fresh meat. Youngster. You'll hear all those nicknames while you are starting this new journey. They may annoy you, but that is the last time you will ever be called those names. This is the last time you will ever be considered a freshman in your life. Kinda exciting and scary all at the same time right?

I know you are missing your family like crazy, but you are also really glad to have your own life now. You have so much freedom at your fingertips, it is kind of overwhelming. However, you are capable of making your own responsible (and not so responsible) decisions. You have made it this far, and I promise you that you are intelligent enough to make it on your own.

Classes and professors can be so intimidating those first few days and even weeks. Every class is structured differently and every professor has a different teaching style. If you are having trouble understanding something, simply ask for help. Because everyone else is probably feeling the same way, and they are just too afraid to ask as well.

Freshman girls, be careful. Trust your gut about all situations you are put in. If you do not feel comfortable, you can say no to anyone and anything. Do not be afraid to call your mom, sister, or best friend when you feel like you have made a mistake. We have all done things we regret, and that is okay. One mistake will not define your whole college career.

Freshman boys. The things I would love to say to you. First of all, respect yourself. Do not be cocky, please. It is not about how many frats want you to pledge in or how many girls you can score at a party. That will all be so irrelevant in a few weeks. However, it is about presenting yourself as a respectable young man at this point in your life. You also have the right to say NO. You also, do not have to let one mistake define your whole college career.

Also, please study. It is okay if you have to study more or even less than your friends. Some classes and content will come more naturally to you than others. It is okay to not make an A on all the exams you take. You may have to find a new studying style for each class that works for you. That party can wait (there will be plenty more, trust me). This is your future.

Enjoy this year. It will go by so fast. Before you know it, you will be packing up your things to head home for the summer. In the meantime, call home. Branch out. Smile at that stranger in one of your classes. Discover so many things about yourself, that you can not remember your life before college. Laugh. Cry. Do it all. (Well all things legal of course).

The world is yours kid, all yours. Go conquer it.