You’ve accomplished what you thought would be impossible: High School. Now you can take on the world. In doing so, you’re going to go amazing places and see incredible places. For me, I would like to travel abroad in college and study foreign languages and buy expensive clothes. For you, it may be different. But there are endless possibilities. You have your whole life in front of you.

1. Travel abroad

France. Japan. Belgium. Australia. Scotland. Mexico. London. Ireland. China. Budapest. Italy.

There are endless possibilities of cultures to discover. Why spend your whole life in one place when there is so much you don’t know about yet?

2. Go to as many sporting events as you can

Think about it: you only have 4 years to go to free (or discounted) college sporting events. Why sit in your room and watch it from the comfort of your bed when you can go stick it out with your school in the rain or snow? You will regret it if you don’t. Trust me.

3. Avoid the freshman 15

If you can avoid it as a freshman, you’re golden.

4. Sign up for everything

Sign up for intramurals, clubs, and interesting classes. You have so much free time to balance alongside classes. This is an amazing way to meet people and discover your own passions and interests.

5. Keep in touch with high school friends

You may think, “eh its all behind me” but reconsider that. Those are the people who knew you when you were in your awkward phase and they still want to get to know you as you grow up. Those are the people you want to keep around.

6. Maintain a good GPA

Freshman year is where it all gets tricky. You get all caught up in the excitement of living on your own that you totally forget that you’re in school. If you start off strong, you won’t be struggling so hard at the end to balance it all out.

7. Go out

If you’re not that kind of person who likes to go out every weekend, just promise yourself you will go to SOMETHING. College is the time where you meet people and make connections. If you don’t go out, you will not make those connections. It’s as easy as that.

8. Step outside your comfort zone

You may be used to sitting inside and watching Netflix on the weekends, but you need to have something other than alone time that you can tell your kids about when they go to college! Go meet some cute boys (or girls). Go do something exciting that you would never have done before college. College is the time of firsts!

9. Remember that it’s okay to say “no.”

If something is WAY out of your comfort zone/borderline dangerous/insane, don’t feel like you have to say yes. If your best friend says, “Yo, its nickel shot night at the bar. Let’s each bring $5,” it’s not unreasonable to say no. Though it may make for a good story, its not worth nearly dying for.

10. Finally, document EVERYTHING.

Yes, we live in a generation where people document everything ANYWAY. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. The best thing about a picture is that you can look at it and it immediately comes with a story. Regardless if it’s good or bad, it is apart of who you became in college.