Aahh, freshman year of college... It's a year of change, excitement, new friends, and growing. However, we also know how it is a bit overwhelming and scary. As a senior, I hope to share 10 tips that I wish I would've known three years ago. Read these quick tips for not only surviving but CONQUERING freshman year and then make sure share them with your new friends:

1. Embrace the "new". Freshman year is all about branching out and experiencing new things. You'll experience crazy new things like: living in a cramped 11'x14' dorm room with someone you met on the freshman Facebook page, sitting in class by people who grew up with an extremely different background than yours, having a very free schedule, and sitting in a huge lecture style classroom for long hours. All of those new things can come as a shock at first, but don't treat them as bad things. Embrace the newness and keep an open mind towards things that might not be the same as what you grew up with back at home.
2. Don't close off your friend group. You aren't in high school anymore, and no one thinks cliques are cool in college. Always be happy to meet new people and accept them into your group of friends. You're now at a school that is double, triple, or even tenfold the size of your high school, so take advantage of that! There's so many interesting people from different areas of the country and the world sitting by you in class or in the student center that would make such a neat friend.
3. Stay fit. In high school, you probably took those PE classes or sport workouts for granted. Here in college, you don't have a coach screaming at you to lift more weights, and now you have access to an all-you-can-eat cafeteria and food court. UH OH, those two are not a good combo. Therefore, practice some self-discipline and hit the gym or those free group fitness classes a few times a week. Working out also releases awesome endorphins that trigger happy feelings in your body and boost your self- esteem. So say goodbye to stress/ the "freshman 15" and hello to a happier you!
4. Don't chase after a relationship. We all know the shock of noticing how many "great fish in the sea" there are during those first few months of college. Sure, its super fun to flirt and test the waters, but don't let chasing after a guy/gal take over your freshman year. I've seen way too many freshmen (myself included) chase after some guy, ditch friends, and then end up two months later realizing it was a huge waste of time. Skip the regrets of wasting time chasing someone. Just chill, spend time with big groups of friends, go with random friends as their date to Greek events, and soak in those awesome days of being single.
5. Call your mom. Freshman year can be hard sometimes, and the best thing to solve that problem is to call your mom (or dad). Parents have actually been through a lot and carry that wisdom with them. They offer good advice, so don't be afraid to lay down your pride and ask for help or consolation.
6. Healthily handle your stress. With a lot of change comes a lot of fun experiences, but also a lot of stress. Before you push yourself to your limit, take some time for yourself in order to stay unstressed. Some great ways to prevent or reduce stress could be: finding a quiet place off campus to reflect, joining a yoga class, hiking outdoors, joining a support bible study or counseling group, eating healthy foods your body likes, or getting lots of sleep.
7. Get to know your professors. This might seem like a weird one, but professors can make or break your education experience. Some of the best opportunities in college have come to me because I had chatted with a professor about my dreams and ambitions. Professors have a lot of wisdom and most really do care about their students. Step up, shake their hand, and take advantage of their office hours because most of them would love to chat and give you advice for your future.
8. Force yourself to stay organized. Some people are naturally obsessed with their Lilly Pulitzer planner and write their whole life schedule in it very easily. Others, like myself, have to focus and be intentional about staying organized. In college, most professors won't send out an email or announce in class that you have a quiz tomorrow or a paper due Friday. As I've heard many times, "It is in the syllabus." Therefore, if you're not naturally a Type-A planner, start forcing those habits upon yourself, and you'll be thankful you did later. I use iCal and have it synced to my phone with alerts so I'll hopefully never miss a meeting, homework, test, or even lunch with a friend. Try out different ways of staying organized, and you (and your GPA) will be very thankful for it.
9. Be independent. Yes, we know you've just gained independence from your parents but don't turn around and become dependent on your new friends now. What I mean by that is a lot of freshman only feel comfortable doing things if they have a big support group with them. Be independent and do things that are best for you and that you want to do. Go to a coffee shop you saw on a cool blog, go see your favorite indie artist perform, go try out a church that better fits your spiritual background. Make sure you don't get stuck revolving your life around what all the other freshmen are doing. You do you.
10. Have fun. At first freshman year seems stressful and overwhelming, but its honestly the easiest college will ever be for you. It is also the most free time you'll probably ever have. Take advantage of that easy schedule and stay out late, make lots of friends, read good books, take up a new hobby, and all those other great things you might not have time for in the future.

I wish you the best of luck on your wonderful freshman adventure. Learn from these bits of wisdom from an upperclassman, but don't forget to make your own experience and live life fully! Embrace this awesome time of growth and be willing to learn with an open mind.

Good luck!