This a personal note to all those graduating this year from high school. Congrats! I hope your graduation is all that you wanted. I know that I loved mine and still remember the after party. I mean…. my diploma.

You’ve worked hard. Trust me I know, you’ve signed all the forms, found the perfect outfit for prom and grad. You know where you are going and what you are doing with your life. You are on top of the world. This is a great mile stone in your life. Enjoy it. Truly take every bit of it in. And cut your mom some slack. Ya she’s crying a lot, but her baby is going to college!

Speaking of moms. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT allow them to over pack your bags. There is not that much room in a dorm room and mothers seem to forget that. Bring what you will need, a tooth brush,some clothes… not all of them, things for classes, your favorite posters. Keep it down. Trust me, I learned the hard way. I spent plenty of days trying to find space to put stuff and throwing the rest out. DAYS. In college, you don’t have days to be cleaning your room. Hug your mom and dad and inform them that they mean well.

So whats the best thing to do? Bring hardly anything. Now, I might sound crazy, but heres the plan. Have your parents put aside money for what you will need in college. The first month, make a list, have them order and send it to you. Yes this may seem like more of a hassle, but hello, Target anyone? The people in the mailroom are wonderful. They will help you get any large packages to your room. Now this way you don’t have a ton of stuff that you don’t need hogging up your room and you are getting packages sent with love from mom and dad. You will love packages from home around the third month.

Make a list of all your favorite things that you do with your mom and dad. Love mom’s cookies? Ask her if she’s willing to overnight a batch once a month. Watch the game with dad? Make a plan that when your fav team is on, you’ll watch it together, via web cam or on the phone. You will want a little bit of home when you get to college.

I remember my first night in my dorm room. I just plopped myself down on my bed and took it all in. This was my new life. MY new life. It’s a feeling I will never forget. A whole new stage of life that I was excited to begin. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into, boy was I wrong. I learned so much the first few days. And don’t mind the upperclassmen. They arne’t mean, they just know the drill. Give them a couple of days to warm up to you. Like in high school, freshmen can be spotted a mile away.

Who you were in high school means nothing in college, you will grow up a lot and college will change you. Expect to learn a lot about yourself.

Again, congrats all high school grads of 2008! You did it! You made it, you are going to college! If you are like Kori, and have a ton of questions about Lynn, or college in general, feel free to email me at manderson5@email.lynn.edu. Its my personal school email account which I check every day. Feel free to ask me anything about college! Honestly! I’ll answer them as freely as you ask me. If I can’t answer it, I’ll direct you to some one who can. Ask me about classes, friends, parties, clubs, sports, how to get stuff done, where to pick up your mail, the food plans, anything! I have the whole summer to answer all incoming freshmen questions, and hey, if its really good, I’ll blog about it!

Alright class of 2008, you are now the class of 2012 at Lynn, welcome!

(P.S. This is my 200th post! Sweet!)