Ah, college. It’s what every high school senior has been dreaming of for the past four years. You’re excited to finally be out on your own and doing whatever you want. Unfortunately, high school doesn’t always prepare you for what’s to come in college. Luckily, I’ve come up with a list of things that all incoming freshmen should know about college. It might save your life.

• Adulting is hard. It’s all fun and games until you have to balance school, work, and a social life all while trying to remain mentally stable
• Freshman 15. It’s a real thing. It may not be 15. Could be 5 or 25, but it’s inevitable.
• Dining hall food is garbage. It’s alright for about the first month, but then you will be so sick of it to the point that you avoid eating all together just to get away from it.
• PARTYING IS NOT EVERYTHING. Going out and having a good time is okay! That’s what college is all about. But always make sure be safe and don’t be stupid. If you are at a party and start to feel uncomfortable, leave. Take care of yourself. If you are intoxicated, call a friend or someone you trust to come and pick you up and take you back to your dorm safely. If partying or drinking isn’t really your thing, no worries. I guarantee you will find a group of friends who will be down for movie nights and late night Taco Bell runs.
• Sleep is a privilege. Sometimes it’s more important than an assignment, other times it’s for the weak when you have an eight-page paper due the next morning.
• Don’t skip class unless it’s for a good reason. You and I both know you pay too much money to go to school to skip a class. Don’t skip unless you are deathly ill or you have an emergency that needs to be attended to immediately. If you do choose to skip, come up with a good excuse and e-mail your professor beforehand. They’re usually understanding.
• Roommates can be a blessing and a curse. Sometimes you have great ones and sometimes you don’t. Make sure you find some alone time in your day. You’ll thank me for that one later.
• Find an outlet for stress. Find something to get your mind off things. For me, it’s music. For some, it might be working out at the rec center or reading a book. Letting your stress build up never ends well. It’s okay to take a break every once in a while!

With all of this being said, although college can be rough sometimes, it’s so much fun. You meet some of your best friends and you start to figure out who you are. College is all about change. Don’t let the fear of struggling keep you away from continuing your education. Freshman year is always the hardest, but I guarantee it will be the best year of your life.