This is the day you’ve been waiting for 13 years for. You planned for it, you imagined it and now it’s here. You walk across that stage, grab that diploma and think to yourself, “I’m out of here.” As this chapter of your life comes to a close, the new changes you face are daunting and unknown, but incredibly exciting. You have earned the success you have found in graduating and attending college and before you get there you need to stop and applaud yourself on how far you have come already.

With that said however, you have a ways to go. I will not sugar coat the fact that college takes work, but with it comes the best memories and incredible opportunities. These years ahead of you will shape who you are and where you go in the future. From one student to another I know that can be overwhelming to think that what you do in four years affects the rest of your life. So from me to you, here is some lessons learned that can help start you off right.

1. What you put in to this experience is exactly what you will get out. If you don’t put in the effort to get involved or meet new people, you won’t. Friendships in college don’t fall from the sky, you will actually need to try.
2. Don’t be afraid to call your parents. They worry about you and want to hear about what’s going on in your life away from home. On top of that, they are always there when you need advice or have a rough day.
3. Don’t rush things. Don’t go through your time wishing it were the weekend or the next break because life is still happening and you are missing out waiting for tomorrow.
4. Don’t feel bad about saying no, but don’t be afraid to say yes. This is YOUR time during these next four years to do what makes you happy. If that means the occasional night in or weekend home, don’t feel bad for saying no to friends. But this is also your time to try new things so do not be afraid to step out of your box.
5. There will be late nights, early mornings, hours of studying, good days and bad but embrace them all. It comes with the territory of post secondary education so just chalk it up to an experience.
6. Listen. Listen to people around you and those that offer advice. Often times in the moment you can’t see it, but they are more spot on than you are willing to give credit.
7. Learn how to take a power nap without it turning into half the day. Just trust me, you need this.
8. You will be tested, but don’t let it stop you. There will be impossible professors, huge projects and unbearable finals but you will make it through all of it.
9. Enjoy it. You will meet incredible people and do amazing things. One day you are going to wake up and be going into your junior or senior year asking where the time went so live it up while you can.
10. Take the opportunities handed to you, build on the successes and learn from the failures. It may not always be pretty but this is your story being written so make sure it will ultimately bring you happiness because if in the end you aren’t happy with the results, what was the point.