Dear Incoming College Freshman:

First of all, congratulations. You finally threw your cap and walked across some stage somewhere and are ready to take your next steps! You've been accepted to a college or university, and your drive to continue your education is commendable.

I know you're probably nervous about what college has in store, especially if you've been told that high school was supposed to be the best four years of your life. If you're worried about this, don't panic: even if you did have a fantastic time in high school, you can make your college experience better.

Some tips to help you create the best college environment you can:

Balance your schedule as much as you can. You know your limits, and college is a much more lax environment than high school. You can choose to take as many or as little classes a day as you want. Also importantly, make sure that you don't work too hard. Take time for friends and for meals, and for a good night's sleep. College can be overwhelming, especially if you're away from home, and making yourself as comfortable as possible will help in the long run.

Don't have too much fun. Maybe skip that party that's on a Wednesday when you have an important 9 AM class the next day. Too many extracurricular activities (which take up much more time in college than they did in high school!) can only make your schedule overfull. This isn't to say that you shouldn't have any fun -- definitely go out with friends and have a good time, or invest in that extracurricular that you've been wanting to try out. College shouldn't be all work and no play, but it's definitely a balancing game.

Take time for yourself. Remember that you're in a new environment, and no matter how well adjusted you are as a person, it's always good to take a deep breath and self-reflect or just spend some time with yourself. You're going to be, if you don't take time for yourself, almost never alone, and that can wear on you more than you expect. Taking some time for yourself isn't a bad thing, and without it, you're just adding to your mental and emotional load more than you need to.

Meet with your advisor. This professor is assigned to help you, but just because they're assigned doesn't mean that they can't be someone you become close to. If you don't feel comfortable with your current advisor, you can always look into finding another one you are comfortable with and who will be more beneficial to you. Your advisor can, if chosen or assigned well, become a mentor and even a friend, an opener of doors and a willing writer of letters of recommendation. Meeting with your advisor and taking the time to get close to them will be beneficial to you and your college career, and perhaps even your career outside of college.

Lastly, don't stress yourself out too much. This may go without saying, but college is supposed to be as fun as it is supposed to be hard work. It will be an entirely different experience than high school if you want it to be, and it could potentially be one of the best experiences of your life. So don't sweat the small things, enjoy yourself, work hard, and have fun -- good luck!