After the first year of college, students come away from the year with a lot more than just academic lessons learned. I remember last year searching for hours on hours for any sort of advice or stories to help calm my nerves about what my first year of college would be like. Hopefully these lessons will help any incoming freshmen feel a little less nervous about starting their college adventures.

Here is a list of advice I gathered from students who just finished their freshman year:

1. “Don’t obsess over grades. Just try your best.” - Emily W.
2. “Don’t be afraid to try new things, you might end up really enjoying them!” -Betsy L.
3. “Take time for yourself and let yourself become who you want to be.” -Autumn F.
4. “Just because you spend 100 hours studying doesn’t mean you’ll get 100 on your exam.” - Joe W.
5. “It is possible (but not advised) to take an exam on 5 hours of sleep and 3 shots of espresso.” - Joe W.
6. “There is always more work to do, it’s just a matter about how much will get done today; you need to make time for YOUR life along the way.” - Joe W.
7. “Don’t be afraid to change your major or transfer schools. You are not stuck, there are always other options.” - Heather S.
8. “Take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.” - Heather S.
9. “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything” - Alex B.
10. “Don’t be afraid of your professors. If you accidently miss an exam, contact your professors. They are more understanding than you might think.” - Rachel U.
11. “College is nothing like the movies. Because of this, I wish I would have been told not to expect too much before going into it. It is definitely hard work.” - Jess D.
12. “I learned that it’s all going to be okay in the end. Freshman year can be really difficult, but even at my lowest, I could remind myself that I am enough. That is really the biggest thing: to know that you are enough and that you can pull through the hard stuff. And nothing has taught me that the way my first year has.” - Elizabeth W.
13. “Sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as humanly possible.” - An anonymous student
14. “If you are going to party make sure you have good friends who will make sure you throw up in a toilet not in your bed.” - An anonymous student who has had to wash her sheets the morning after one too many times
15. “Challenge yourself. Take classes that you want to take and join clubs that interest you. You will meet new people and have a schedule that you love, which will make your first year memorable!” - Olivia Shackleton

I hope this advice from students who just finished their first year of college can help those beginning their college journeys!