Surviving Your First Year Away At College, As Told By 'One Tree Hill'

Whether you are coming in as a freshman or transferring away from your community college this coming fall, going away to school can be high-key terrifying... but I've come up with a few ways to survive, thrive, and fight your way through all of the hard stuff!

If you haven't already seen it, start watching "One Tree Hill." I watched it for the first time this year, and it got me through so many bad, stressful, and lonely days. Even if it isn't your go to show, just give it a chance. Warning: it will quite possibly change your life. The characters in this show truly became my friends - especially at the beginning of the year when I had virtually no one at school to turn to.

Call your mom. Or your dad. Or your best friend. Or your significant other. Or anyone from back home... EVERY DAY. Especially at the beginning, this will provide such a source of comfort and stability in your life. These days, communication is so often texts and Facebook messages. Later on, these forms of communication might be all you need on a daily basis, but at the beginning, you need something to look forward to. Let the comfort of a familiar voice be that thing that you look forward to each day.

SEE ALSO:The 23 Things You Call Your Mom For In College

This may sound completely insane, but bring something familiar that *smells* like home or a loved one. I brought a bottle of my mom's perfume. Even if you never take it out to actually smell it, knowing it's there provides a sense of comfort if you feel lost in a world that isn't quite yet your own.

Always have some comfort food close by. I was able to visit home a lot, so my mom would pre-cook meals to send back with me. Chicken and noodles were my lifelines this year. If you aren't lucky enough to have that option, you'd be surprised at all of the things you can concoct with only a microwave and a few ingredients.

Carry that pepper spray your mom insisted on buying. Even on the safest college campuses, you need to protect yourself. And no matter how many friends you have, there will also probably be times you will be walking in the dark alone at night. If you won't carry pepper spray for yourself, do it for the people who love you.

And above all, and as cliché as it may sound...be who you are, and find those people who love you for it!

Because...