1. Introduce Yourself.

Even though I kind of ignored this myself, we're all terrified and none of us bite, so please don't hesitate to introduce yourself. Literally, a girl sat next to me and said 'hi' during the convocation, and we talked for like an hour about random stuff and it was great! Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. We're all looking to try and make friends and for some people, it's harder to do because of the anxiety of a new environment. Trust me, 9 times out of 10, the person will be more than happy to talk and get to know you because they want to make new friends just as much as you do.

When you introduce yourself it's also important to be yourself. It takes a lot more out of you to hold back your interests and personality just because you're afraid the other person won't like it. The diversity of a conversation is what makes it fun! You shouldn't ever second guess who you are or what your interests are because you think they're "nerdy" or "stupid" or that the person you're talking to doesn't seem like the kind of person to like what you do. You'd be surprised at what people like and even more surprised at how open they can be to learning about what you like. Even if you never see that person again, you at least gave them something new to try out.

2. Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions.

I know it can be embarrassing and intimidating to ask an upperclassman a question because you're thinking "Now they'll know I'm a freshman and they'll go back to their friends and talk about how much of an idiot I am!" But I promise, they probably won't even remember talking to you by the time they get to their dorm for the night. Also, you have to remember, they were a freshman just like you once and probably just as scared to ask someone for directions or help. You'd be surprised to know how many people are more than willing to help you. On the day of convocation, I asked a girl to help me get to the Student Union, and she nearly walked me all the way there! That same day, I asked these two guys to help me work the pool table (I didn't realize I needed to exchange quarters for a token) and even though they were transfer students who barely knew the school, they didn't hesitate to help me. They even asked me to join their game and helped me improve my plays. So I promise, even though everyone seems scary, they really aren't.

This principle also applies to your teachers. I know you've heard it over and over again, but they really mean it when they say that they're here to help you. All you have to do is step up and be an adult about your issues. If you're having trouble in class, tell them. Just be up front with them in a timely manner and more often than not, they'll be more than willing to help you. This goes for your advisors as well. They're literally getting paid to teach you and help you so don't feel like you're being annoying or intruding.

3. Make the Most of Your Experience.

You only go to college once, and you're paying for it, so why not take advantage of it by using all of the resources available and by trying? In movies, you see a lot of parties, alcohol, and drugs, but college is much more than that and should be treated as such considering a lot of us are going to gain student debt over the years. Don't waste time partying when you could be studying for a test. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun and hang out, you just have to plan it at a time where you don't have your school responsibilities first. I know it can be tempting to shirk off your responsibilities because your parents aren't there to tell you otherwise, but it's not worth the money and it's not worth risking your future.

4. Try New Things.

It's only fitting to try new things while you're in a new environment, so go for it! Try going out of your comfort zone for once. If you've always wanted to play a sport, you should. Try something you normally wouldn't because I bet you that it'll turn out better than you expected. You might even make friendships that under normal circumstances wouldn't have been made. Who's to say that you won't meet your new best friend of 40+ years in that one gardening club that you thought was silly but joined anyway just for the fun of it.