Written by DeAnna Britton, Relate Contributing Writer

Over the past two-and-a-half years, I have learned a lot in college. Although academics are the main goal of college, I have often found myself learning much more than what they teach you in class. Here’s what I’ve collected:

• College isn’t so scary when you get used to it.

When I first got here, I pretty much had an anxiety attack. I knew no one and didn’t know where to go. It took me about less than a week to get a handle on things, though. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s best to take a rational approach. If you get lost on campus, it’s okay to ask someone for help. Be open to new relationships. My freshman year, I bonded with my suitemates and we pretty much did everything together. We learned about each other and the ins and outs of our school and we didn’t have to do it alone.

• You’ll have a lot of friends freshman year.

When you first get to college, everyone wants to meet everyone else and become friends. This is good if you don’t know anyone. Depending on the size of the school you go to, you may know everyone by face and name after a while. After your freshman year is over, however, there will be a small group that you keep in touch with. These may or may not be your friends you keep all four years. I made a really good, small group of friends my freshman year and we were really close. Now, I don’t talk to any of them on a regular basis. We didn’t end on bad terms; we just drifted apart and found other friends. We still try and catch up every now and then.

• Don’t drink the jungle juice.

If you go to a party on or near campus, they may have something that’s called “jungle juice.” I’ve heard it called many things, so let me explain what it is. “Jungle juice” is a garbage can filled with juice and a bunch of alcohol. Sometimes it’s not in a garbage can; I’ve seen it in coolers, too. Either way, don’t drink it. When you think about it, it’s really not sanitary and you don’t know what’s in there. One party I went to, there was jungle juice in a garbage can and people were drinking from it all night long. Come to find out, the people throwing the party put “roofies” in the juice. “Roofies” is the name for Rohypnol, otherwise known as “the date rape drug.” Let’s just say, it’s not safe.

• Join clubs; get involved.

One of the best things I’ve done in college was to join a club. I’m actually in two. I joined the ONE campaign, which helps raise awareness of the poverty in Africa and fundraises for them. I’m a member of FONT, which is my campus’ literary arts magazine. Being involved in these clubs has given me the chance to meet really great people and to help make a difference. Most colleges have numerous amounts of clubs. Take a look at what they offer and I’m sure you’ll find something that matches your interests. Don’t be afraid to join. It’s a great way to make friends!

• Don’t lose touch with people from back home.

One of the things I feared the most was that I was never going to be able to keep in touch with my best friends. With things like Facebook and texting, I don’t worry about that anymore. However, since we are all really busy it is hard to find time to talk. My solution was to make a message thread on Facebook with me and three of my best friends. We write whatever we want on there and ask each other questions. It’s a good way to vent to your besties and to know what’s going on in their lives. I also still keep in touch with one of my high school teachers. She was like a mentor to me while I was in high school. I email her every week or two and it’s a nice way to keep in touch and have someone older that you can talk to.

These are the five major things I’ve learned so far. There are many more, but I feel as if everyone has to go through their own experiences. Just remember to be open to anything and take chances! You’ll never know what might happen or where you might end up.