For the College-Bound Graduate

I continue to see facebook updates reading, "Last day of school!" and "finally graduating!" I can't help but think back to six years ago when I was in the same place in my life.

Graduation was such an exciting time. There really is no other experience in life quite like leaving behind your childish years and embarking on a new adventure- however dramatic that might sound.

When I had just graduated, I had the world before me. I was heading off to the University of Georgia, and my life was about to change. 100 percent. Of this I was slightly aware. . . although, I was much less prepared for my new life than I anticipated.

Let's take a look.

 

 

 

Here I am (on the right) excited high-school grad, ready for all the excitement ahead of me.

 

Now, if I could time-travel (I'm working on it) and head back into time, I would have quite a few words of advice for my 18 year old self. Here they are:

 

 

1. Enjoy your freshman year. Don't worry so much about school- go out and have fun, and maybe try a little harder not to be so shy. Oh- and most importantly, ATTEND ALL THOSE STUPID SORORITY MEETINGS so you can meet more people.
2. Or, better yet, skip the sorority. Get involved with something that MEANS something- Relay for Life, Etc.
3. Don't assume that you are invincible- just because you drank a few times with your friends does NOT make you prepared for the bar scene in Athens. Take it slow, and maybe consider skipping the shots.
4. Never carry cold pills in your purse.
5. BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER FILES
6. Always be yourself. So cheesy- but so important. Don't "tone yourself down" or try to be someone you aren't. This is crucial.
7. For God's sake, please don't walk home alone. At 3am. In the dark. Across North Campus. Phone calls do not protect you. Oh, and no matter how irritated you think you are, don't leave someone's house at 4am and wander to a gas station. Not a good plan.
8. If you meet someone named Reid, run, do not walk, but RUN in the other direction.
9. Never drink and drive. No matter how little you have had to drink.
10. Once you get that freshman year out of your system, focus on school. Decide on your future now so that I (future Lauren) don't have to make any of those tough decisions :)
11. Don't be broken hearted over every relationship that fails. The right one is just around the corner, and once you find it, you will wish you had enjoyed that time to be young and single! shhh!
12. You tried, bless your heart, but don't chase any boys who don't show interest in you. If they aren't beating down your door, let it go. move on. It's okay to not have a boyfriend. That doesn't make you weird.
    
    
    Well that's all I've got for now. But, really, there are no rules, and you've got to live it before you can learn it. Hindsight, baby!