The director of Samford University's Office of Freshman Life knows all about the challenges first year college students face. "Getting up for class in the morning, those kinds of things, they are really an issue for college freshmen, after the freshman year, that's pretty much over," said Freshman Life Director Dana Basinger.

She encourages freshmen to talk to their parents honestly before leaving home about how communication will be different. "If they can really sit down and talk about when are we going to talk to each other, when's a good time for you to call me, should we text each other," Basinger said.

Along with time management skills and communication, there are some things only experience can teach. Some upperclassmen say there are things they wish they'd known when they were freshmen. "Set a schedule for yourself and follow it, for me, I go to class, I come back and do my work, and I have the night to do whatever I want to," said junior Josh Perkins. Senior Zach Lafleur said, "The myth of catching up at the end of the semester truly is a myth, that if you get behind, there won't be any saving yourself once the tests come round there's just not enough time at the end of the semester."

Basinger says incoming freshmen are always welcome in her office for help with any issues that crop up. Here's a link to the office of student life at Samford:

http://www.samford.edu/groups/fyi/index.html