For the Graduates

I know there have been a lot of graduations lately, and many to come.  To those of you graduating, whether it be high school, college, grad school, etc., congratulations!

Now, I want to speak to everyone who recently will graduate or has graduate high school.  Here's everything I wish someone had told me (some things will be cliché):

• STAY. IN. THE DORMS.  It's how I made all of my friends in the first year.
• Don't eat unless you're actually hungry.  It'll save you money and you won't get fat.
• Don't be married to your major.  Maybe you'll love the one you came in with, maybe you won't.  Either way, it's okay.  Don't be afraid to switch.
• College is NOT high school.  Classes are much harder, so STUDY.
• College is NOT high school.  It's 812509 times better.  Get excited!
• High school wasn't real life.  This is.  It's fun and amazing and you're finally in charge of your life.  The things you're doing actually matter now.
• Join some organizations that actually matter to you.  It's not worth your time to put energy into stuff you don't care about.
• Get really involved in the organizations you're in.
• Try to make time to sleep.  Your brain, body, and mood WILL thank you.
• That being said, have some fun too.  Watch movies with your floormates.  Get dinner off campus.  Try something new.
• Talk to your roomie.  Like, actually try to get to know them.  Maybe you won't be BFFs, but maybe you will.  Or maybe you guys can just be pals.  Either way, it's better than being strangers.
• But you should also have ground rules with your roomie.  And if you make any offers (such as, "sure, we can share food"), make sure you can stick to them.

Bottom line is this: have a blast.  College is fantastic.