If you are a freshman and you are reading this...

GTFO OF REDDIT. Go talk to your roommate. Go walk into the nearest door and introduce yourself. Ask if anyone wants to take the bus to green street and get some Qdoba. There are tons of people taking ECE110, PHYS211, PSYCH100, ECON101, CHEM102 on your floor. Get everyone's schedules and see if you can organize a study group. Go talk to your RA. Get to know him/her.

Do you drink? Find out who on your floor brought some alcohol. Do you not drink? Man up and have a beer (but don't go overboard). Do you not drink for religious or health reasons? Don't drink, but go find a party tonight. You don't need alcohol to act a fool and have a raging good time (although it certainly helps).

Quad Day is coming up. I want you to join every club that even remotely interests you. And then join one or two clubs that you have no interest in. Note: "October Lover's" and "Harassing Illini" are mandatory clubs.

Look. College can be intimidating. College can be scary. But college can be anything you want it to be. So much happens at the very beginning and you are so stimulated and so confused and the food at PAR still tastes amazing and the classes are so huge and there are so many good looking people and there are more fraternities than you can possible hope to remember. Do you know what that feeling you've had since you've come here? The anticipation, the excitement, the anxiety, the fear, all rolled up in one? That's the feeling of leaving your comfort zone. Some people like that feeling, and some people don't. Some people want it to stop. They go back into their comfort zone: video games, reddit, late nights and meals alone. That's you. And you need to stop.

Look, I love reddit. That's why I'm here, and it's great... in moderation. I do love reddit. But I love U of I more. I know that in the beginning of your college life new experiences, emotions, and stimuli are forced upon you. You don't have a choice with that. But what you do have a choice with is how you react.

TL;DR - You can stay in your safe little internet bubble and feel good for the moment. Or you can jump straight into the deep end of the pool.

Just jump.

Trust me.

Cannonball that fucking pool.