freshman.

freshman year.

there really is nothing like it...

meeting millions of new people, living off of cafeteria food, staying up til 4 AM every night, surviving your first snowy winter, figuring out college classes.. no other year of college is quite the same.

in honor of my first september with no "back to school" and in honor of all those thousands of freshman who started at BYU today, i wanted to create a little list...

10 things you HAVE to do your freshman year

1. make new friends

this one kind of goes without saying, but it really is the best time to do it. everyone is new, everyone wants to make friends and no one is taking life too seriously. hang out with EVERYONE, not just the kids you normally would.

my best college friends were found my freshman year. 

(my husband too, nbd)

 what a great group.

girls trips are a great idea.

2. branch out

this goes along with #1, but it's important. do things you have never done before. this might include, but is not limited to...

dying some of your hair blonde. or purple.

oh yeah.

 driving to the hot springs at midnight during finals week

or challenging the boys in your ward to a flag football match

3. take a fun class

volleyball, folk dance, ice skating... just do it! 

you will learn new, useful skills

and get great pictures...

i definitely recommend folk dance. 

4. support your team

whether you know someone on it or not, buy a t-shirt, rock your school colors, and sing that fight song.

it is more fun when you know someone.

but any support is good.

nothing like a marching band.

supporting professional teams is fun too.

go jazz!

5. true blue

this is a truly unique experience. diving into blue foam and dying yourself blue for a day is more fun than you might think. just don't be that person who is still rocking blue hair a week later and proud of it. just shower. 

6. disco skate

you can do this any year. it just needs to be done. lots. i have a whole box full of 70s clothes if you need to borrow. if you aren't going to dress up, you might as well not go.

it's only fun if you look good.

it takes at least 3 times before you can expect to actually skate. stick with it.

7. hike the Y

do this during the day time, and not while it is raining. bring all your friends!

this is why you don't go in the rain in the middle of the night: 

8. escape

sometimes your picnic-themed ward christmas party catered by the cannon center will be too much to handle. you might need to get away.

it's okay to leave provo. just don't do it every week. 

(especially if you live in utah and are tempted to go home for sunday dinner, you will miss out!)

if you try to run miles to a bus stop, make sure you have someone document it.

go somewhere warm.

go out on a limb. but be safe.

have a girls getaway!

visit family.

 eat good food.

 9. send off missionaries

or, these days, be them! make sure you live your life so you are worthy to go. be smart. have fun. support all your cute friends who are going on missions. 

 don't get too close though.

 write them letters too. and remember to send them.

go to farewells. eat lots of food.

10. take pictures

document your fun. then four years from now you can do a post just like this one. don't be afraid to be the one with 500 pictures on your camera at the end of the day. the memories will be worth it.

you might rediscover long lost friendships!

document the silliest moments.

and pose too..

smile!

you may create the next great album cover.

don't forget those late night crazy random moments.

use self timer.

 have photoshoots.

be candid.

be pretty.

just take the picture. you will be glad you did.

 p.s. don't forget to live your dreams

make a list. check things off. audition for that show. go out for the team. do the study abroad.

you might find yourself in new york with your best friend and your moms. you might gain 15 pounds eating the best bread of your life on a daily basis in paris. you might marry a cute boy you met your freshman year. you might have a wallyball dream team. 

live right and good things will happen.

( don't forget to take pictures. )