With my freshman year of college coming to a close, I believe I have finally realized that, just like any other institutionalized environment, college has a lot of rules. Since high school has been over, I have not only escaped the bylaws of my high school, but also the rules that came along with living under my parents roof full time.

As an incoming freshman, the popular belief is that college is a one-way ticket to freedom and you will not have to abide by any rules. However, there are more rules in college than you could ever believe and surprisingly, most of them are unwritten. Other than the basic rules including “stay on top of your school work,” “go to class,” and “don’t party too hard.” These are some of the unwritten rules, more commonly referred to as common sense and there are many more of them out there.

When it comes to academics, there are many things that are important to remember. First and foremost, once you choose a seat in class, that is deemed your seat. It is only acceptable to switch assigned seats within the first week of classes.

Do not, and I repeat do not, take anybody else’s seat unless you want to enrage a college student who is just trying to get through their week.

Additionally, you will learn that you do not need a new textbook to pass and succeed in a class. Almost every college freshman, myself included, makes the mistake of buying the latest edition of a required textbook online.

Fun fact: You do not need the latest edition nor do you need a new copy of the book. In some cases, you can even find the textbook online for free!

Skipping class sometimes is okay, but do not skip every class and constantly ask a friend for notes. You will just annoy them and since you are paying for the class, you might as well go regardless of how tempting it is to stay in bed or to get food instead.

On the same note, another way to make sure you do not annoy people is to limit how often you talk about your high school experience. Sure, it may have been fun but it is over now and college is different. End of story.

When it comes to social etiquette, there are also many important things to remember. First, do not wear a lanyard around your neck because you will look tacky and people will make fun of you.

Going along with this idea, do not rep your college everyday because people will pick you out as a freshman. Sure, showing school spirit and being proud of the school you attend is definitely a good thing but wearing college merchandise everyday does go overboard.

Additionally, remember that is okay to eat alone. Your friends' schedules will not always line up with yours and that does not mean you should not eat or you should worry about having to eat alone. Just grab a bite and do what you have to do. Nobody will judge you.

Along with this judgment-free idea, remember to never judge other people’s situations. Some people have a harder time paying for college than others. Do not judge anybody especially when you’ll never know their personal struggles.

Besides the above rules, keep the importance of taking care of yourself in mind. Your health and well-being is of the utmost importance. Keeping all of these unwritten rules involving both college academics and social etiquette in mind, you will be able to survive college successfully and without conflict.