Before coming to Washington University, I couldn’t tell you how many times an adult came up to me and said, “College will be great; you’re just going to love it.” It was nice to have those words of encouragement, but after a while I started to feel like I was being burdened with a cliche of late-adolescent life. The “college is the best, therefore you must be happy or else” mantra has become so entirely prevalent in teenage culture. If you asked Wash. U. students what their take was on their first year, I think many would tell you that being at this place is incredible. But, as you may have seen on Yik Yak, Wash U Confessions or in the New York Times, there is an element of adversity that we all have to go through. I will be the first to tell you that I loved my freshman year. It wasn’t exactly as smooth as I expected it to be, but it was still an entertaining, exhilarating and non-stop life-changing experience. Looking back, however, there were a few things I did that helped me avoid being let down by the wildly optimistic words of the adults around me. Here are a few tips that I hope will help the class of 2019 enjoy the first semester of freshman year to its fullest.

1. BE ACTIVE! Netflix can be really tempting, and FIFA is a great way to pass the time, but I made my best memories doing stuff with the people on my floor and everyone else around me. There are the cultural shows like Diwali on campus, a cappella concerts, freshman events like trips to the City Museum, local haunted houses and all of the restaurants on the Loop. Play some pick-up basketball on the 40, stay up late and play Cards Against Humanity (until you get sick of it, which happens really fast). Take an adventure to a St. Louis Cardinals game. Just do something!

2. Take advantage of the music scene. If you have the money, go to LouFest in September. You can complain about the drop in lineup quality (yes, we had Outkast and the Arctic Monkeys last year) or get annoyed with the fact that you only know one song combined from the two headliners (“Take Me To Church,” anyone?). But it was single-handedly the most fun weekend of my first semester. Great venue, good food and quality bonding time with all the people you’ve just met. Don’t worry—you can still see Ludacris live if you have a real craving for mainstream music. On top of that, make sure to see a concert at the Pageant, a smaller but well-renowned local venue for music in the area. I saw Hoodie Allen and Chiddy Bang last year for $30 and had lots of fun. Nick Jonas is on the docket if you vibe with popular singles “Jealous” and “Chains,” but there are guaranteed to be other great alternative and indie acts coming up. Check the Pageant’s website for details.

3. Don’t get comfortable too quickly. After you meet your floormates, find your supposed “crew” of friends and hang out with a set group of people the first few weeks—it’s easy to just set yourself into cruise control and play it safe. But unless you’re really lucky, the closest friends you will make are in places outside your comfort zone. Be on the lookout for opportunities to meet new people and remember that there isn’t a time limit on when you can find your new friends.

4. Whether it is roommate troubles, missing home or whatever else you can come up with, know that you’re going to have a few bumps in your first semester at Wash. U. It happens to everyone, and the faster you can embrace and accept these moments, the more likely you are to be OK with them and to avoid them. Know that eventually this transition period will level out, and you will be okay. Plus, there will be a huge support system in your Residential Colleges to help you along the way.