I would like to be able to tell you that after my (almost) two years of college there is one universal way to succeed and thrive in college. Unfortunately, that is not the case. It is different case by case, person by person, with a few similarities.

One of the most important things in college is having a strong support team. While going to college helps you gain more independence, it is okay to not be completely independent. It is okay to turn to your family for support in your difficult times.

It is also important to have friends who are there for you no matter what. Luckily, there are so many ways to get involved on campus (and off campus) that make it next to impossible not to gain some amazing friends.

Another key to thriving in college is not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. Even with the stigma that asking for help is showing a weakness, it is the exact opposite. Asking for help, whether it is seeking out a tutor, going to a counselor to talk through some problems, or going to see a teacher in a course that you are struggling in, these are all signs of strength, not weakness. It shows you have the strength to seek help in order to get better in some aspect of your life.

Hard work. This is also necessary to survive college. There are always going to be hard times and obstacles in our way, but it is how we face them, or if we even face them at all, that shapes who we are. In hard work and perseverance, we see and show our true colors, as well as doing everything with heart and knowing that we gave it our all and tried our best because this is all we can really ask of ourselves. And that matters more than achieving "perfection".

Another way to survive college is to join and become more active in your community, whether that is directly on campus or through things in the city you are living in. This provides you a way to gain more experience as well as some more friends (which never hurts). This also provides you with a way to have an outlet, whether it is a sport or more of a written outlet, and all will do the same trick.

One of the best things in college is knowing that you are not doing it alone. You have so many supporters all around you from teachers to peers and friends to family. While there is no surefire way to survive in college, these are just some common themes to everyone's solution.