Tips For Your First Few Weeks of College

Though this is a running blog and this post isn't technically about running, I just celebrated the end of my second week of school, and I believe that it would be selfish to say the least not to share some of the knowledge that I stumbled upon with those of you who are still young, impressionable high schoolers.
1-Just because the dining hall serves pizza and donuts every day doesn't mean you should eat pizza and donuts every day.  Take my word for it.  The novelty will wear off after five or six days, and leave you with a few extra pounds that you don't want.  You'll also feel like a giant slug on a bike trying to work up the energy to go anywhere.
2-Figure out your sleep schedule before the term starts.  Don't try to cram an extra season of Supernatural in on the eve of your first school day or it will become a habit and you will be so sad when you have to start waking up for 6 a.m. practice.
3-Never assume that the car sees you while you are in a crosswalk.  If by some joke of fate they don't, the back tire of your bike will get squished by a truck, your phone screen will get shattered, and you will once again be so sad because you have no way to get around until your bike is repaired.
4-Plan on studying.  You may not have a ton of turn-in assignments, but you still need to pay attention to the syllabus and do the readings, or when the first exam rolls around and you see the words "Found on pages _ - _ in the text" in parentheses next to a question, you will feel really foolish. And probably fail that text.
5-Don't freak out if your only friends in the first few weeks are your Netflix account and your chocolate stash.  Don't become a hermit just because you haven't made friends yet, either.  These things take time.
6-Ask your friends, family and strangers on the street to send you mail.  Now that you have your own mailbox, mail is so much more exciting.  And opening your mailbox to find it empty makes you feel like you are forever alone.
7-Bring snacks.  Even if you are on a meal plan, healthy snacks for early mornings and times when you just can't take any more meal hall food are heaven sent.
8-Get ahead while you can.  Especially for student-athletes, it is important to stay ahead of your school work because once season, practice, and competition get started, you won't have as much time on weekends and afternoons to get caught up if you fall behind.
9-Take naps as much as you possible can.
10-Go to your on-campus duck pond at least once a week if you have one.
If I come upon any more nuggets of wisdom in my travels, I'll be sure to share them with you lovely individuals.