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" As I am sitting here writing one of my final blogs, I cannot believe that a year has gone by. Time has flown by! I thought I would just compile a little list of memories and lessons learned over this past year. 1. Stay Strong: Before you go off to school, draw a line for yourself on things you will and will not do. I know for me personally, I decided I did not want to drink. Going into school, with the decision already made helped me a lot. If you have made this a boundary for you before you are in the heat of temptation, you are much less likely to fold under pressure. And believe me, college has tons of pressures. The road won&amp;#039;t be easy, and you might get made fun of, but not once have I regretted it. 2. Single is A Great Way To Mingle: I know girls who came to college with boyfriends. College is all about finding yourself, exploring new endeavors, and making new friends. If you come into college with a boyfriend or start dating someone when you first get to school, I feel like it limits your growth. Obviously, each case is different, but this route has been the best for me and I believe it&amp;#039;s important to be able to grow and mature without someone holding you back.  3. Be Yourself: College isn&amp;#039;t like high school in a sense that there aren&amp;#039;t major cliques. Most people are just who they are, and have friends who accept that. Be yourself, and find friends who love you for exactly who you are. Also, if you are looking to join a sorority, keep this in mind when going through rush - which girls can you go to the movies in sweats with, which girls can you joke around with, which girls are you most comfortable with? There are so many things to take your attention and capture it, so stay true to yourself and make sure you are genuinely you! Like Boy Meets World says, &amp;quot;We&amp;#039;re all a little weird and when we find those people whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness and call them our best friends.&amp;quot; 4. Make It A Habit To Work Out: Coming to school, I became so focused on all the things I needed to do, exercise became secondary. The late night food runs, frozen yogurt and cafeteria food began to take a toll on my waistline. So, make sure no matter how crazy it gets, you get a regular workout in daily. 5. Borrow Clothes: I absolutely LOVE shopping. However, I forget about how convenient it is to just borrow clothes. Hold a clothes swap with your friends, so you can clean out your closet. You can exchange these with your friends and get a whole new wardrobe! I hope these tips helped! Feel free to contact me if there are any questions about anything! Toodles, Lindsey "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/q-and-a/a7295/lessons-learned-freshman-year/>