Freshman year was a whirlwind of emotions for me. I came into my first year with unrealistic expectations and the pressure of trying to look like I had everything together. I made incredible memories and met some of my best friends, but there were still hardships and times where I struggled. I asked Mississippi State seniors what advice they would give to students during their first year of college. I really enjoyed hearing their answers, and I hope you will too!

Nicole is a senior Public Relations major. She gave insightful advice about gaining experience with your major and the importance of self-care.

"Gain experience early! Look for on-campus jobs and internships during the school year, and then ones in your hometown in the summer that relate to your major. This will help you better understand the field you're interested in, and feel out if it's a good fit for you! If you find that it isn't, it's a great learning experience and talking point in interviews."

"It's okay to say no! We always hear about how many memories the sleepless nights will provide us with, but we never hear about the falling asleep in class, crankiness, and stress that it can place upon us. You're in college for education, so if you feel like staying in and catching up on your homework is the better alternative to cramming it into one night, it's okay to miss one night out. Prioritize yourself and your future over the pressure of being fun! It's all about balance."

Lizzie is a senior math major and gave insightful advice about college expectations.

"I would encourage you to throw your expectations out the door. Whatever you expect college to be, it's most likely not going to be what you expect. Some parts will be greater than you imagine, but there will be disappointments. Through it all, I can say that college has made me stronger and strengthened my relationship with God."

"Be open. Be open to new opportunities. Do not limit yourself to who you think you are supposed to hang out with, or the clubs you always thought about joining. There is so much more on campus than the preconceived notions in your mind."

Ally is a senior Public Relations major and talks about the importance of getting involved when you get to campus.

"One piece of advice I wish I would have listened to freshman year was to get involved in clubs and events as much as possible, even if I just wanted to lay in bed. While I did join a sorority and one other club, I feel as though I didn't invest as much time as I could have in the things that would have made me open up to people I never would have in high school. And now with me dropping the sorority and the club falling apart, I regret the opportunities I missed and the friends I could have made sooner if I invested time into other things as well. And with this being my last year, I tend to look back and somewhat regret that I didn't try as hard as I could have to make friendships that would last outside of college.

"Going to a university is an amazing experience and finding a consistent group of people to do the four years with you is so helpful, whether it be for your mental health, classwork, or even something as simple as going to the grocery store. So go out and join the clubs and talk to the people...you never know who could be your support system through the next couple of years."