My first year of college is over and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I did well, but it didn't come without its fair share of struggles. But does anything?

I learned a lot, in and out of class, and am definitely better for it.

My motto of the moment: "Learn to be fully present."

Here are a few of the things I've learned that have helped me get the most out of my college and general life experience so far:

Change your "default setting"

We all have a "default setting;" how we get through our day to day lives and how we react to the things that go smoothly or poorly. It is a “normal” occurrence for us to be annoyed, for example, in traffic, or in a long line at the mall, but is being irritated really helping at all or is it just making it all worse? We are all hardwired to believe that the world revolves around us and that everything bad that happens is standing in our way. Even though this is our default way of thinking, it doesn’t mean that it is right or healthy, and what better time is there than college to fabricate a new attitude and a new way of looking at life? I needed to re-learn how to think.

“learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience.”

- David Foster Wallace: This is Water

We are at such an impressionable age and the habits and life lessons we learn now will stick with us for the rest of our lives. Instead of letting your original thought process take over, force yourself to think in a different way, one that benefits you rather than brings you down. I am constantly changing my mental attitude by making a conscious effort to do so.

Take it in, ALL of it

In college, especially freshman year, many of us are extremely homesick and overwhelmed with the new responsibilities, amount of schoolwork and a seemingly higher, yet sometimes lower abundance of free time. This can absolutely cause many to fall into a rut which involves never changing routines, feeling down a lot of the time, and more likely than not, ignoring things that don’t pertain to your set in stone schedule. Get involved. Join a club, play a sport, get a job, or even pick up a new hobby. Surrounding yourself with good people right off the bat and keeping yourself busy is key to leading a successful college career. It's normal to be homesick and miss your family and friends, and sometimes a good cry is needed, but make sure you're paving the way for new experiences, too.

School isn't the end all be all

What's the point if you're not actually learning anything? There is only so much that can be learned from lectures and books. The most important thing about college is learning how to deal with things that may set you back and learning how to react to things when they don’t go the way they are "supposed to." Out of class experiences in college can provide valuable life lessons and being aware of the world around you can absolutely give you more insight on what it really means to be fully present. Watch the next episode. Let him take you out on a date. Go to that party. Play sand volleyball at 11 PM when you have class at 9 AM the next morning. Don't let your grades stress you out to the point where you aren't learning anything or to the point where you aren't taking care of yourself. A's are not worth all that turmoil.

That being said, grades are still important

Go. To. Class. I cannot stress that enough. Many profs don't grade you on attendance, but it is pertinent to go to class because you will receive most, if not all the information you need for the tests, believe it or not. Work hard, and it will pay off. If you need help, ask for it. There are so many resources you can utilize if you are struggling in any subject.

Take care of yourself

The "Freshman 15" is real and it isn't pretty. It's easy to get into the routine of: waking up, ramen, school, ramen, turn up, ramen, sleep, 3 AM: ramen. It's also really easy not to make time for working out. Eventually, it'll come to bite you in the butt (literally) or the thighs, or the stomach, or the face... You get me? Just a little bit of physical activity every day, or 3-4 days a week makes a drastic change in how you feel, perform, and look on a day to day basis. Establishing a fitness routine around your class schedule at the beginning of each semester is key.

Relationships are awesome, friends are a necessity

I know that some people thrive in relationships and really enjoy being in them because I am one of those people. It's nice to have that person to go to with anything, to have that one person that is always there, and it's natural to look for someone to share things with. But what I've realized this past year is that you don't need to look. If it's meant to happen, that special person will find you when you're not looking. It doesn't necessarily have to be the person you're going to spend the rest of your life with, dating is fun, but all I'm getting at is that these people will find you, you don't need to stress over finding them. And who knows, you may just wind up meeting "the one" when you least expect it.

On the other hand, what's even better than any relationship is that you'll always find friends, everywhere you go, and they'll stay. It's okay to have platonic friendships with people of the opposite sex. Not all relationships with guys (or girls) have to turn into anything more than just friendships, and as obvious as that sounds, there comes a time when you realize that it's really good advice.

Bad things happen, so be prepared for anything and be careful

Among the many good things that college offers, there are countless bad things that can happen if you're not careful. These things can happen to anyone, but girls are especially vulnerable and have to be extremely careful and aware of their surroundings nowadays, which really stinks, but it's something that we have to live with. And it's not going to change anytime soon. Partying and underage drinking happens, I'm not going to act like it doesn't, but that means there are even more things to worry about.

Some tips for being safe:

1. Don't drink the "punch" at parties or a drink someone hands you - You have no idea what is in it. Date rape drugs, numerous different types of alcohol, and who knows what else are fair game. There is a thing that I learned about this semester called grain alcohol that has up to 99% alcohol content, but is tasteless. I know your parents tell you "not to take drinks from strangers" all the time, and they're right. But you shouldn't take drinks from anyone, no matter how well you know them. Pour them yourself.
2. Always go places in a group - If you're going to a party, make sure everyone is together, and if you lose a friend, DO NOT leave without them, no matter what. Make sure everyone is accounted for, even if you have to get the police involved, it's better to be safe than sorry.
3. Don't walk the campus at night if you don't have to - Nothing good happens on campus after it gets dark, except night classes (which aren't that good either now that I think about it). If you do have to, for whatever reason, DO NOT walk by yourself.
4. If you are under the influence of alcohol, you are not able to give consent - A lot of people don't know this. I have heard so many stories of girls drinking too much and ending up somewhere they don't know with someone they don't know the next morning with no recollection of what happened the night before, which is a scary thing. This has become a common occurrence in the past few years, and, contrary to popular belief, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.
5. Trust your gut, you're usually right - This goes for anything. If you feel weird about a situation or about someone, it is usually for a good reason. Try your hardest to get out of the situation, and if you can't make sure you surround yourself with people who will protect you. But, on the other hand, if you have a good feeling about something, go with it. Trust yourself. It could turn into something you could never have imagined.
6. Those self-defense classes your school offers are no joke - If you get a chance, take one of those classes. There is a lot of valuable information taught that could potentially be useful in a dangerous situation.
7. If you need the police because someone is in danger, call them - The Good Samaritan Law: "An individual under twenty-one years of age is immune from criminal prosecution under this section if that individual contacted law enforcement or emergency medical services and reported that another individual under twenty-one years of age was in need of medical assistance due to alcohol consumption."

You'll meet some gems. Hang on tight.

College is where you'll meet some of your best friends, bridesmaids, and maybe even your significant other. You'll meet people who make you think, people who make you want to do better, people who challenge you, and people that make you question the deepest wonders of the universe. Do not take these things for granted. If you meet someone you click with, don't let them go. It is such a special thing to connect so deeply with another person. To feel like you've known someone for years when, in reality, you've just met is a one of a kind occurrence that happens only a select few times in your life. That being said, not everyone will be in your life forever. Some are there for a reason, to teach you a lesson, and then they're gone. You don't necessarily have to hang onto them per say, but hang on to what they give you indefinitely.

College is great and it's a time for learning, but it's also a time to have fun and make mistakes. Cherish the time that you have and make the most out of it. You only get to do college once, and you're only this young and free once, so make some memories and make sure you are present, at all times.