Speaking as someone who just survived his freshman year of college, I understand that it can be overwhelming, but trust me, Wichita State is a whole lot better than high school.

Now that you’re in college, you’ll be tempted to try all sorts of things. You should branch out and stretch your boundaries. Learning and trying new things is what college is all about. However, there are some things you should avoid.

At the risk of sounding like The Sunflower’s Mr. Advice Man, I’m here to give you some, well, advice how what to do and what to stay away from in your freshman year.

Do

Branch out 

Don’t be the same person you were in high school. Do something you’ve never done before. 

Take a class that’s totally different from your major. Go up to complete strangers and get to know them. Do something that helps you get to know people, and gets you familiar with campus. 

Make new friends

I can guarantee all of your close-knit friends from high school didn’t follow you here. That can be hard. It took me a while to get over it. 

If you don’t have that luxury, definitely try making new friends. You can meet people anywhere at WSU: class, the Rhatigan Student Center, your campus job, campus events, Shocktoberfest, sororities and fraternities, athletic events and more. 

This school has 15,000 students in it – go and make friends.

Get involved

WSU has countless organizations to offer. From fraternities and sororities, to That Gay Group!, The Harry Potter Alliance, College Republicans and College Democrats, WSU has a wide variety of organizations for you to get involved. 

You’ll find that the people in the groups you join on campus think like you do, and want your input on topics they discuss. 

Join an organization that you’re interested, and you won’t be disappointed. 

Do Not

Skip Classes

As tempting as it is and as frequent as it happens, do not skip classes. If you just don’t want to go to class because it’s too early, tough. You paid a high tuition bill to take the class; you didn’t shell out thousands of dollars to stay at home, so go to your classes.

Drink

Most freshman are below the legal drinking age of 21. Alcohol causes hangovers, some which can be so unbearable you’d choose to skip class. 

If you’re offered a drink, politely decline and just enjoy yourself. Believe it or not, it is fun to have fun while sober. I’ve been doing it for 19 years.

“Freshman 15”

It’s easy to do if you overindulge on the fast food available on and near campus. Losing weight is much more difficult than putting it on, so refrain from participating in the “Freshman 15,” lest you plan on spending next summer shedding the pounds.

 I know I may sound like an overbearing parent on my advice on what not to do, but I want every freshman to be smart while still enjoying their first year of college. You can all have fun, but you’ve got to be smart.

Enjoy your freshman year of college. It’s a great experience, and you truly do discover who you are while in college.