Hey Subeta, long time no see. So I just turned 18 and I will be attending college on August 21 so I am nervous and I've never been away from home haha.I am the first in my whole family to ever attend a formal university so I have no idea on what it is going to be like. I will be living with three other girls at Edinboro. Does anyone have any advice for college? Please and thank you <3

- I've never been to a university. I'm currently in a community college, but I'm sure most of it is the same.

1. Schedule your classes around your schedule. If you don't like getting up in the mornings, don't take morning classes (unless you don't have a choice).
2. Find a professor that generally has positive reviews. Rate My Professor is a website that has reviews of many professors.
3. Go to class and pay attention. Most professors center their tests around lecture material, not textbooks. You also get to engage in group discussions and activities that can be very fun and a great learning experience.
4. Talk to people. Networking is essential in today's world. You never know what opportunity a person has for you.
5. Learn how you study and do homework. Some people do better by spacing things out. Others do better cramming everything all in one night.
6. Eat, exercise, and sleep. Don't forget to take care of yourself. If your body is healthy, you'll do well.
7. Participate in school activities. There's so much to do for free. Take advantage of it. You may find a new hobby or meet a new friend.
8. Take some time to decompress, especially before bed.
9. Have fun, but don't neglect your school work. Find the right balance between work and play. (You may find these two tend to intertwine a lot if you find a career you enjoy.)
10. Be yourself. People are open to different types of people. If you stay real, you'll find genuine friends.
11. If you feel overwhelmed, take some time to cool off. Do whatever you find relaxing. If you burn out, it'll take some time to recover. That can affect you negatively.
12. Stay positive. Keep yourself mentally healthy. If you have a clear mind in school, you'll be able to focus and have the motivation to do you work and have fun.

I hope this helps. :)

What Star said is great advice. I would also some things about your future roommates. First off, see if you can't email or phone them right now, before you even get to school. Maybe you can all even meet up somewhere beforehand to talk (or skype maybe if the locations are a problem). Once you all do get together in person, you should all agree on a list of rules that everyone is to abide by, write up those rules, and have all of you sign it. Include things like if borrowing each person's things is allowed (clothes, school supplies, food, etc.), who is to buy what supplies when (toilet paper, any food, etc.), who does the cleaning and when, how late any guests can stay (and if they're sleeping over, where they'll stay), what to do if someone wants to have a boyfriend/girlfriend over (and the rules on engaging in...'extracurricular activities' in the room), if pets are allowed (whose they are, who takes care of them, who gets to keep them when you all move out, etc.), discuss any allergies anyone may have (and what to do about the allergens - perfume, nuts, etc.), what time music/tv needs to be turned off (so you all can sleep/study), what time morning should start (as in setting alarms at a certain time and a way that won't wake everyone in the room), and anything else anyone thinks might become an issue, no matter how small.

Wow! Thank you :) That is awesome advice. I am so nervous that I'll mess up :p Thank you :) I have already talked to my roommates and we are going to try to meet soon. They all seem very nice so I am excited :)

I was terrible at living with roommates, but at least I learned some things. My top advice would be:

1. Don't assume that they're okay/not okay with anything. Always communicate. Lots of times people think that the way they lived at home is the way everyone lived at home, and that's just not the case.
2. If you're actually sharing a bedroom, don't hesitate to use earplugs or an eyemask if you need it to sleep. You might feel like a dork, but if it's what you need to do, then do it.
3. It's a good idea to find places on campus or in the library, etc, where you can go to study, because even if you get along really well with your roommates, sometimes you just need some space to yourself!

Some advice for going to college/university in general:

1. What you learn and who you meet will probably matter more than your grades, or even what your degree is in. Most of the people who I know that got good jobs after graduation got jobs based on what their on-campus job was or what they did for an internship. I wish I'd spent more time working on practical skills than just researching and writing papers for assignments.
2. I don't know what costs are associated with tuition for you, but don't go into enough debt to buy a house in order to get a degree. It's just not worth that.
3. Don't be afraid to talk with a counselor or adviser if you need advice with courses, or with adjusting, or just to vent. People like that exist to help you; don't worry about being a bother or asking stupid questions or anything like that.

I was the first in my family to go to a university, too, so I know how difficult it can be sometimes when you don't have anyone who knows what you're going through.

I hope things go well for you though! It's exciting starting something new. Good luck!

- You're welcome!

Here's a heads up: you're going to make mistakes. It's a part of life. The trick is to learn from these mistakes and use this knowledge to your advantage. Also, a mistake can become something you would have never thought of before.

Don't let the idea of messing up stop you from doing anything. Do your best and you'll be fine! :)

I just completed my first year at university. The most important thing I learned was not to be afraid to speak up. If you have a problem with a roommate, do not be afraid to politely talk with them about it. There's very little way that they'll know something they're doing is bothering you otherwise. If any problems persist after talking it out, don't be afraid to talk to an RA to help facilitate a conversation. Try to talk with your roommates again in the first week of living together just to go over what behaviors are acceptable in the room. This is also a good time to discuss sleeping habits, guests, pets, etc.

As for the rest of college life, don't be afraid to be involved or ask for help. Clubs are a great way to meet new friends with similar interests. Plus, it's something you'll hopefully enjoy and will help keep stress levels down. With that being said, don't try to overbook yourself with activities. You'll still want time to study, hang out with friends, or even work. Find a balance between work and play.

If you have difficulty with a class, ask someone for help. You can ask the professor if there's a tutoring session that they know of and if it costs anything to attend. One of the clubs might offer tutoring. You can even ask a fellow classmate or friend. This also ties into establishing nice study habits that work for you.