The best advice for students going on Youth Tour in 2013

We’ve collected some awesome advice from former Youth Tour students. Here what they have to say to the Youth Tour class of 2013. Read on!

• Be social! The friends you make on this trip are the best! :)

• Pictures, pictures pictures! You'll never forget the trip and memories. Socialize with everyone! Have fun!

• Bring good shoes; you will want them for the long days walking!! Be social & make the best of every minute! You will make friends for life :)

• This is experience is going to be one of the greatest in your life. Embrace every moment of it and take the time to get to know everyone you meet on a personal level. You'll meet some of the best friends you'll ever have in life and will see some of the coolest things.

• You are going to love the experience. As tiring as it gets just keep up the effort and take advantage of every opportunity that you can get. If you play your cards right this event could be a strong kick start to your future career, either inside or outside of the cooperatives.

• Don't worry about sleep and make as many friends as you can! You can sleep on your way home; you'll be having too much fun

• Take time to talk to everyone in your group! They are all great and you will probably have something in common with each of them (beyond the sharing the same state thing).

• Arrive well rested.

• Make as many friends as you can and don't be nervous! Enjoy every moment of it because it goes by fast.

• And like everyone said, be open minded, meet as many people as possible, and enjoy all the little things :)

• Take amount at each place and truly absorb what it represents. There is a lot to see and pictures to take but make a memory of each monument or historic place. also write down your thoughts.

• Enjoy every minute of it because this is one of those important once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. If you're not a social type, now is the perfect time to get out there and make some new friends. If you are a social butterfly, you should be in your element. The people you meet here are the kind of people you want to keep in touch with because they are going places

• Take note of this rich advice: the Alaska rep never brings enough pins...so find him/her before they start doing crazy stuff like selling them or trading 3 for 1.

• Take lots of pictures. Don't be shy to ask someone to take your picture for you. Be nice, polite, outgoing and friendly. INCLUDE EVERYONE!!!! NO CLICKS!!!! Be yourself. Have fun. Fill your head with knowledge. Remember names. Absorb everything our nation’s capital has to offer. Ask questions at Capitol Hill. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!! Spend money wisely.

• Be respectful when you're in places like the Holocaust Museum and Arlington Cemetery.

• Enjoy every experience because you never know when you will be able to go back to DC and meet so many new people. Also the Youth Tour Staff is some really cool people!

• Get plenty of sleep, be nice to your roommates, get to know everyone you meet, and make the most out of every amazing opportunity you get!

• Coordinate shower schedules in your room.

• Find a friend who looks at things in museums at the same pace you do. If you take time to look at EVERYTHING, find a friend who also takes time to look at EVERYTHING.

• Wear a watch that doesn't beep.

• Participate in every activity. You won't regret it.

• Figure out what stuff you need to put in bins for metal detectors. Save yourself time, pack according to the security.

• Don't be afraid to meet people from the other states, it is great to compare accents and find common ground. Spend your time wisely especially at the Smithsonian. Decide ahead of time which museum you are most interested in seeing. Never go anywhere alone. Enjoy our nation’s capital and all the wonderful treasures you'll see and take lots of pictures to share back home and to look back on in the future.

• Don't underestimate the friendships you'll make, even if somebody lives far away. Two of my closest friends from YLC live half way across the country and we've stayed close. In fact, it's been three years since my youth tour trip and a fellow youth tour member and I are about to embark on a trip to South America together!

• To add to the comment above, I totally agree don't underestimate the friendships you make because I met a friend of mine who lived 5 minutes from my house and I had no idea, and we became great friends on the Youth Tour, and now we are going to room together at Morningside College and be teammates. It’s just so cool how the Youth tour brings people so close together. I still keep in close contact with all my Youth Tour buds and I'd recommend making lifelong friendships on this tour.

• Take as much in as you can. The experience is absolutely amazing. Meet others from across the country, because it is so interesting learning about different parts of the country. Lastly, take tons of pictures, because you will cherish them forever. My experience on Youth Tour and the YLC was nothing short of amazing.