College is a unique time of life. It may be the best time of our lives, and we’re living it right now.

Someday far in the future we’ll hear a song on the radio or see some picture reminiscent of these brief years. It will bring smiles, perhaps tears, or maybe just a warm feeling to our hearts. The college years are truly a rare and precious opportunity, yet how often do we appreciate them while they pass? And so, for our collective benefit, I shall here describe a small selection of many ways to make your college experience all it can be.

Pull more pranks

Truly, our generation falls behind here. The world was not a boring place before Netflix and Facebook; people just pulled more pranks. This is the only time in your life you have such freedom, such immunity. Don’t waste the few precious years when you’re old enough to plot great things, yet young enough to be easily forgiven. Work as a group. Plan things with your friends. Know where your professors offices are. Find how cheap you can buy miniature army men online. Always look for unlocked doors, and never forget the inherent hilarity of Jell-O.

Dine with friends

Even if it’s just frozen pizza, get together and attempt to survive without campus dinning for a night. College is a lot better when you visit people, and visiting people is a lot better when there’s food. You may even learn how to cook something for yourself, which I hear is an important skill after university living. So find a griddle and make pancakes in the dorm lobby. Maybe you could just invite someone over for cereal. Just make sure you know where to find bacon in Walmart by the end of college. The good memories that have stuck with me from previous years usually involve food, so go make some.

Dress how you want

Seriously, however the heck you want. You won’t have this freedom in the business world. This is your chance – your chance to grow a beard worthy of legends. Your chance to tie-dye socks. Your chance to make cardboard armor. Your chance to pillage goodwill for anything with stripes. Look on eBay for hats – or capes. (Or you could just wear a suit and tie like any normal person…) And this is most important: Halloween is on a school day for the first time in several years. Don’t let it pass you by. Don’t let any of this pass you by.

College is a time of great freedom. It’s probably the only time you can put on a swimsuit and ride around town in a pickup bed full of water. So get your work done and enjoy the time to make memories.