By: Toni Murabito, senior Communication for Advocacy major / minors in Creative Writing and Public Policy and Leadership

Learn the names of the unsung heroes. Ask them how their day is. Make it matter to you. You’ll never know how much you matter to them.

If you’re doing good things for the recognition, you came to the wrong place. Do good things because they need to be done. Do good things because you’re a part of something.

Find one adult who can be your parent away from home. When you need advice, need to complain, or need to cry, talk to them. You can trust them, trust me.

Doing things to boost your resume is smart, but doing things that will cause you to look back at Carlow and smile is smarter.

Explore Pittsburgh while you’re here. It’s beautiful. Let the melted snow in all four seasons stick to your shoes; it’ll stick to your heart.

Never miss Sushi Dan. You’ll spend the whole month regretting it.

You might meet your future bridesmaid during orientation week your freshman year or halfway through second semester senior year. Always be open to meeting new members of the Carlow family.

Carlow is a small town in a big city. Everyone will know your business before you do. Remember how that feels the next time you choose to talk about someone behind their back.

If you go to South Side every weekend, you’re risking a bank account and GPA of about the same, sad number. But, if you spend all four years watching the white paint chip off your dorm room walls, your college memories will be just as dry and crumbling. Find balance.

Find time to study abroad, whether it’s for a week or a semester. Some people say you only regret the things you didn’t do, and I regret not doing that.

Appreciate your professors. They’re some of the most credible and established people you will ever get to work with. They’re also some of the kindest people I’ve ever gotten the pleasure to know.

Make time to go to events on campus, whether it’s listening to a person from a different religion speak about their experiences or dancing in protest of violence against women. Stand up for something, even if you’re the only one who showed up.

Make time to call your parents, even when you’re working four jobs, writing three papers, and trying to have more than two friends.

Maybe this is a bunch of trash, but believe me, you don’t wanna miss Sushi Dan.

Photograph: Campus Visit Day, courtesy of @CarlowU on Twitter