1. Everybody has civil rights. Regardless of color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, favorite soccer team—whatever—everybody deserves respect and to be treated like a basic human being. Even the freshmen.
2. You will fail, but you’ll also succeed. Learn to be just as accepting of your downfalls as your triumphs.

3. You’ll make friends. Some won’t last more than a semester, but others will last for a lifetime.
4. Just because you lose friends doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you—you’re growing up, and it’s about quality, not quantity.
5. You won’t be the same person you were when you graduated high school. Nobody ever is, and nine times out of ten, that’s a very good thing.
6. You won’t have a clue about your future when you enter college. You’ll still have no clue when you graduate, but at least you’ll have a piece of paper that says so.
7. Sex isn’t a bad thing. It’s human, it’s natural, and you shouldn’t be made to feel bad about or ashamed of your choice as to how to express your sexuality, whether you want to have a lot of sex, no sex until marriage, or no sex at all.
8. Partying is a thing. If you don’t like doing it, then don’t do it. But don’t be ashamed of yourself or let somebody make you feel bad about your decisions. Just be smart.
9. Don’t condemn or judge other people for their choices, especially if you don’t know them. You can lose out on some great friendships and opportunities that way.
10. It’s okay to be wrong. It’s okay to change your mind. This also goes for changing your major once or twice, or even every year.
11. Try things that scare you. Some great things will happen, and you’ll learn more about yourself in the end.
12. Do what you love. The money will come.
13. College is all about balance. Consider it to be like a triangle, with each point consisting of a different aspect of your college experience: classes, a social life, and, the ever-important sleep. You can only manage to have two be the bases of your college life, while one has to (usually) be passed up. Choose wisely.
14. Talk to your professors outside of class. Build a connection. It may seem like a lot of work, and yes, there is such a thing as being a kiss-up (which no one appreciates). But, if you do it right, you’ll definitely learn outside of the classroom, and maybe even make some professional connections when you’re out in the “real world”…
15. …Which will be here sooner than you think. So make the most of your time at college, whether you’re done in the next four years, or you’re wrapping up your final semester this fall. Enjoy yourself, and try to embrace all of the new experiences that come your way.