What is your advice to a soon to be college freshman?

Learn how to cook everything you need, practice going shopping for yourself, and learn about nutrition. You'd be amazed at how many people don't know stuff like that going to college, and takeaway gets expensive after a while. Make sure that you know how to clean up after yourself well, and that you do it.

Figure out what you'll need to have. Also figure out what you'll need to know- if you have some reading done around your course, it'll make life much easier when you go in. If you're doing a science-y subject make sure you have all the basic knowledge you might need, any anatomy or maths or whatever you'll need to know etc. If you're doing one of the humanities concentrate on the main ideas and authors who have influenced your particular area, and learn all the basics before you go eg read a few of the more famous philosophers before philosophy, read the classics before English etc.

Get your typing speed up as well.

When you go, join societies. They can help with the aforementioned risk of depression, and they help you make new friends. Also, go to all your classes and get a good diary for assignments, parties etc.

Some of this probably doesn't apply to you.

Be patient. Things are not going to be immediately outstanding. You will get to college, and be in a position you may not have been in for a very long time: you have to actually make new friends, you have to be social, etc. It is a time when a lot of freshmen find out just how different they are in comparison with what they thought they were like (i.e. not nearly as 'outgoing', etc.).

A *lot* of freshmen go into this depressive state that they are reluctant to admit to people, try to keep your head up. College is a very sharp change. There are a lot of new people, and a lot of new experiences. Your friends that might be going to college with you might change as well, everyone does. Do not hold it against them.

Try to have fun!

College is going to be very hard in comparison with high school. you really can fail courses. No matter what high school people went to, believe that 'none of us' had to 'try' to get our 4.0s in high school. High school is easy, college is not. Accepting this early on can be healthy for both your GPA and for your ego. You will have to work really hard, and it might take some time to figure out just how hard, but just do your best, you will be fine.

The only real advice i guess that i think is important from all i said above is: try really hard not to get discouraged/depressed. So many freshmen do. It is exciting to move away from home, but it can be especially hard on students to finally get away from home and see things turning out immediately as grand as they thought they would be. The high hopes can be detrimental to some people, and can cause the reality of the situation take them by surprise. Try not to let that happen. Everything takes work, make friends and have a great experience! Try new things.

- Understand that there is a time for work and a time for play. Save your partying for the weekend and concentrate on school. Your education is important.

- Take your time. Don't do just enough to get by. Retain the information that is being taught.

- Study as much as possible.

- Ask questions and take great notes. It's difficult to remember all of the information being provided in a short amount of time. If you take killer notes, you'll soar through college.

Good luck.