What is your best advice for a boy heading to his first year in college?

Don't skip class, do all your homework and study hard for tests. It might seem like a pain in the ass, but making flashcards is a great way to study!

Don't party too much, don't drink too much, nor get involved in drugs. Don't worry about whether or not you have a girlfriend. Don't define yourself by your relationship status, and or how much you get laid. Don't get anyone pregnant, do use protection!

Do remember that you're there to learn and get a degree. Do your best!

Maybe don't use "boy" when describing yourself.. Seems juvenile. Try "guy" instead.

Uni age is awkward because studies are a massive financial investment, and I'm not sure it's one that most 18-year-olds are able to make the sorts of decisions to optimise the returns on it. In order to make the degree work for you best in the long term, you ideally need to be in the habit of setting long term goals and making proactive and strategic choices towards them - and you're probably at a stage in life when you've never had to do that. It's often only when you're plunged into the job market after graduation, with all the support networks taken away, that strategy becomes a survival need - and that's often when people learn it. Which is not ideal when you consider that there can't be many things you can put into your career that will cost as much.

But hey ho. Life is what it is. Never again will you have so little to lose by giving up 4 years or more of your life and paying thousand of pounds/dollars that you don't have in order to study.

Aim for a 2:1 (upwards of 60% where I was) or a first (upwards of 70%), consistently. Then when the final exam comes around you will only have to revise, not revise AND relearn everything. Getting less than a 2:1 for your degree can make your life more complicated later, a lot of job descriptions say '2:1 or above' and people will want to know why you didnt get a 2:1.

You'll probably regret studying solidly. I do regret having done that. But if you want the stuff you're learning to enrich you and help you discover new skills and interests, doing the bare minimum amount of work isn't going to secure that for you. The degree won't be worth more than the certificate with the grade on it unless you make it so. Try to take an interest in your subject. The stuff you're going to be reading will be QUALITY. Take time to appreciate the craftsmanship - this took waaay more skill than the stuff of most random websites you'd find yourself. Some people leave their careers to study just for that. Beware though - in humanities at least, professors, books and research articles these days usually write with a political slant. Some sound almost proselytizing. It's up to you wheher you share their views or not, but my advice is to never let yourself forget that this is usually reality through a political lens, not reality 'as it is', and that even statistical studies can be set up or interpreted in ways that privilege certain presuppositions. I say, be aware of the slant so that you remain the gatekeeper of your political beliefs, rather than them. Do not give in to the pressure of the very powerful institution that is the university, to change your opinions for them, or to act like you share their point of view if you don't (e.g. criticizing a student's essay on 18th century literature just because it doesn't share the assumptions of feminism, or Marxism. If you are thay student, make sure you show somewhere in the essay that you what those assumptions are anyway, just so nobody can accuse you of not understanding them, or of not having read the books about them). They will try to tell you that leaving university with 'an education' equates to leaving university having swallowed all their opinions and accepting them as your own. Many of them are activists, of course they will try to make you think that. Whether you agree with them or not, don't believe the lie that the definition of being educated means having the same views as them. If you disagree with them, make sure you understand why you disagree and can express your reason cogently.

Remember to join student associations/internships/voluntary work. But be selective. In fact, I think voluntary work is better than associations sometimes because it's a more direct link to the world of work - and to the field you want to work in. Moreover, if you leave the university bubble you'll be making links with people who might know someone who'll want to employ you later. Join associations that you like, that connect to your passions and that help you think about the big questions in life. But also choose ones that are useful to your potential career path. Especially if you're doing humanities, where there is no career path directly associated with the degree course. Set yourself up with 'experience' to add to your qualification before your degree's over, then you'll escape the catch-22 that so many face of 'entry-level job for brand new graduate - prior aexperience required'. It is a real stumbling block for many people. Don't let it be one for you.

Stick with it. No matter what, just get the degree. Friends hate you? Girlfriend leaves you? Life is pointless? Get. The. Degree.

Oh and also the BIGGEST advice I can give is that if you know what you want (to be a doctor, engineer, etc) then give it everything you have to make it come true, as long as you know for sure its your passion. If you haven't found a passion, be open to taking as much time as you need to discover it. You aren't trapped into anything by sophomore year like so many people think. You can change majors, or make a plan to get to the career you want with what you have. The world after college isn't always as concrete in caring about your major as kids think while in college. Basically just be careful considering your future career, and aim for something you are passionate about, and take all the time you need to figure that out. Try not to end up in a cubicle after college, it will break your soul (speaking from experience)

Be careful when you drink to not be too stupid, just because everyone around You is acting stupid doesn't mean you should be too. Group all your classes back to back if possible in your schedule so you'll be less inclined to skip class. Meet as many people as you can and be open to meeting new types of people you may have never been exposed to before.

Ok mines the opposite of many answers here. Have as much sex with as many different women as possible and just do the bare minimum to get by and get your degree.

Why? No one in the real world gives a shit about grades and you'll never have as many opportunities for random sex ever again in your life.

Also DON'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND.

Buy lots of condoms.

Quit immediately. Don't take out student loans, you'll wreck your whole life. There are plenty of people, places, and drugs to see and the time to start is when you're young. Accept as few responsibilities as possible and life will come to you.

Erm, mine would be similar to Rose's but part of me thinks that the college experience should involve a bit of fun too as a young adult because you only really get the chance for college fun for one period of your life.

That said, don't let it ruin your learning experience as it should always come first.

work hard be good to your mother

My younger brother just heading to the college for first year and wht only me giving advice is tht be nice to the lectures and choose the right partners

Keep away from the frat boys, you cute little college twink

Don't overdo it on the booze and don't be too confident... You could end up failing exams, feeling miserable and skipping out on summer fun... I learned that lesson the hard way.

my advice, never pass up sex, not even gay sex and plenty of that exists even more than straight sex. make friends as the old boy network can land jobs the fast way. give 100 percent, get your monies worth while others won't. Masons really do run the earth but they at the same time are worthless scum and empty souls, God is dead to all the professors may as well accept it. and they are all democrats forever. some people do things all others teach. you are being taught by the losers. they only need to feel like winners all the time. try not to use student loans they will just mean slavery latter in life. try to land summer jobs ahead of time. beware of women that are only in college to get pregnant . especially juniors.