Time out. It seems like just yesterday I was at prom bobbing my head to “What is Love?,” or attempting to get in 20 graduation parties in one summer day. I can still remember counting down the minutes until college began, yet I can also clearly recall crying hysterically over the seemingly apocalyptic goodbyes said to friends. Vitamin C’s “Graduation” may or may not have been involved.

Fast forward. Two years have passed and I’m now a junior. Say what?

If any of you are familiar with the popular YouTube video, “David after the Dentist,” you would recognize the question I keep asking myself: “Is this real life?”

Yes, this is real life. I’m really an upperclassman, I really have my own apartment (with a glorious full sized bed instead of a lofted twin bed), and I really have the option to cook, which of course I don’t do… nor know how to do.

And as I settle into my upperclassman lifestyle, I am taking it upon myself to impart some words of wisdom to the Class of 2014.

Take advantage of student discounts and free food. Whether this means showing up at every campus organization’s cookout, or scoring a few dollars off Rave concert tickets, you can find many ways to save. Speaking of free things, avoid purchasing T-shirts at the Marquette Spirit Shop; you’ll receive plenty of free shirts from sporting events, even if they do parachute down from the ceiling of the Bradley Center.

The LIMO service is your best friend. It will safely get you from point A to point B, all while experiencing some LIMO drivers’ obnoxious music, awkwardly cramped seating and, if you’re really lucky, the projectile aftermath of one too many alcoholic drinks.

I wish I could say the Milwaukee County Transit System is also your best friend, but there have been one too many instances in which I had to dive or jump over a sardine can of people to get out of the bus. Not to mention overhearing one too many stories about “baby daddies.”

Meet new people. I know this sounds cliché, because duh, how do you avoid meeting new people, right? Well, you could stare at your un-changing computer screen 24/7, or you could stay attached to your high school group, even if you weren’t friends with them in high school. Marquette is a melting pot of students of all backgrounds and interests, and freshman year is the prime time to meet them.

Don’t wait until junior or senior year to realize you should read your textbooks. You’ll know what I mean when it comes time for the midterm or final, and you have 300 pages to read…for each class. Save yourself the all-nighters and visits to “Club Raynor.” It’s really not as hoppin’ as it may sound.

Be safe. You are not invincible even though sometimes you may think you are. Marquette resides in the heart of Milwaukee, a city that surprise, surprise, has crime, violence, and just some all-around sketchy people. This is where your best friend, the LIMO service, enters the picture.

Finally, get involved. Either you or your parents are paying arms, legs, and who knows what else for you to be here, so make the most of every cent. Head over to O-Fest this week and sign up for volunteer organizations, look into Greek Life, and scout out groups pertaining to your major. There is something for everyone.

So have fun, but do your work. Be safe, but gain independence. College won’t be “fo’evarrrr,” (another “David after the Dentist” reference), but it will be the best four years of your life.