Got any advice?
When boozing too much and passing out, try to end up lying on your stomach. Nothing ruins a party like drowning in your own vomit.
That wasn’t really descriptive. I’m assuming you’re going to stay in a dorm, right?
Bring a toolbox.
Explore, and get familiar with your new city surroundings.
And fer the love of all things sacred–don’t do anything stupid.
Go to every class and take notes. If you do this, you’ll pass just about every course in your college career.
You probably do not want to schedule a class before 10:00. See above point.
It is possible to do too much drugs, sex and booze, either singly or together. Learn your limits with all three.
Have fun because college is way better than high school, and this really is the start of your adult life. If you’ve got baggage, leave it behind. You’ve got a chance at a complete fresh start with no obligations to anyone but yourself. Do yourself proud, and we’ll be proud of you.
Good luck!
What China Guy said. Especially the 10:00 part. An 8 AM class on a Monday morning will suck beyond belief, even if you only spent your whole weekend eating Fritos and watching movies on your computer.
College is not as hard as you think it is. (Alternately, it is as hard as you think it is.)
And this one’s from the bottom of my heart - don’t be too proud to transfer if you don’t like it. 
China Guy’s advice is right on. GO TO CLASS and TAKE NOTES. Even if you don’t read them later, TAKE NOTES. In ink, I should add. (Studies have shown something like a 70% increase in retention when notes are taken in ink rather than pencil.) I invariably aced classes which I attended and in which I took notes.
Don’t pledge a fraternity your freshman year. If you still want to after a year (you probably won’t), pledge as a sophomore.
Remember: No matter how much you may at some point think otherwise, it is not physically possible to puke your guts out.
Meet lots of people of the opposite sex (or the same sex if you swing that way).
What, do you want him wearing the same thing every day?
Meet as many people as possible as fast as you can. The cliques will form quickly, and it’s cool to be able to move amongst them.
And just in case you haven’t noticed a trend in the replies yet, the number one tip for a successful college experience is go to every class!
If you’re a little hungover and don’t have time to shower, well, don’t get yourself in that situation again if it bothers you, but still, go to class! Today! Now!
I just want to echo what the others have said, because A) it’s SOOOO important and B) because we all had to learn the truth the hard way, the really hard way, and please believe us and don’t make the same mistakes we made, it’ll only make life harder and cause you a lotta grief you don’t need.
**Go to every class, ** no matter how stupid or boring it is. If nothing else, take a book and sit in the back and read. Sleep even, but BE THERE 'cause profs like to toss out stuff that invariably shows up on the test, just to fuck those lazy students that don’t come to class
**Take Notes]/b, you’ll be up at 3am some night trying to get something done that’s due in 5 hours and you’ll need that info.
Do your homework first, then party. Good parties never get going until 11pm anyway, and you don’t want to get there early and stand around like a geek. Start your homework right after dinner, you’ll be amazed at how much more free time and sleep you get, no joke.
My first two years in college were a combination 24 hours sex and booze binge and a video game and hack-fest. I had so much fun, then they told me if I didn’t ace every one of my finals this semester (this was two days before finals started) I was OUT. I pulled it off by the skin of my teeth. Then I straightened up and the last 3 years (yes, that adds up to 5, which is what happens when you take 12 hours a semester so you can goof off more) were pleasant, easy, educational years with plenty of partying and computer time thrown in there. Even a little sleep.
By the way, if you’re an Engineer, learn to survive on 4 hours sleep a week.
Some academic advice (I’m a TA for freshman English, so I know whereof I speak):
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Read the syllabus and assignments carefully. Your instructors will hold you responsible for knowing all the rules and requirements for your classes, even if they haven’t gone over them in class.
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Similarly, find out what you need to do to graduate in your intended major. Don’t rely on your advisor to tell you everything, especially if he or she is not a faculty member in your department; get a course catalogue and look it up for yourself. Plan out how you’re going to fill the requirements in advance, especially if you’re going to spend a semester or year abroad (and I hope you will – it’s a great experience).
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Ask LOTS of questions in class. Nobody will think you are stupid (unless the information is already on the syllabus – see #1 above). Professors love questions, especially ones that arise from a genuine interest in the subject.
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If you’re struggling with academics, seek help. Go to the professor’s office hours and take advantage of services such as the writing center. Again, no one there will think you’re dumb – they’ll know you’re smart enough and mature enough to take responsibility for your own education.
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Most of your professors became professors because they’re passionate about a particular academic subject. They like to imagine that their students also care deeply about the subject. Even if you don’t, try not to shatter their illusions.
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Also, most professors value students who THINK, not note-taking machines who regurgitate bits of lecture on the tests. Disagreeing with the professor is usually acceptable, and even encouraged. (There are exceptions; try to avoid them.)
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Have fun! If your classes don’t engage, interest, and challenge you, it’s time to think about switching majors. Figure out what you really love and go for it.
On going to class: go to class even when something is due and you didn’t do it. This is how sitching class starts–people say “oh, I didn’t do that article summary, so I can’t go”. GO ANYWAY. Skipping dosen’t make late work any more acceptable.
Print out **Fretful’s/b] advice. tape it somewhere where you will see it everyday.
There are three things to do in college:
Sleep
Study
Party
The catch is, you can only pick two. Choose wisely!
Also (as a college professor, I may have some credibility):
- Attend every class.
- Do read the material in advance.
- Attend every class.
- Read the material for class two or three times.
- Attend every class.
- Review your class notes later that day–after dinner, maybe–don’t just write 'em and forget 'em until the day before the test.
(In short, it’s a lot more productive to keep up with the material than to just “study”.)
I’d also add: sit front row, center for every class. This is especially important for subjects you may have a hard time following (out of boredom, sleep deprivation, difficulty, whatever)–it’ll keep you alert and prevent you from day-dreaming, doodling, etc. And there isn’t usualy much competition for front row, center!
Good luck!
I would also like to echo the sentiment of going to every class and taking detailed notes. Not only will you get some serious good grades, but you can sell them the students who don’t go and don’t take notes 
But, yeah, just have a good time. College is the perfect experience for most people - you have your own responsibilities and the freedom you never had living with your parents but you still don’t have to deal with the real world quite yet. I loved every second of it and now I miss it, but I know I’m probably past that. They’re great years, so enjoy them.
I think the academics have ben well covered here, so i’ll just make a few suggestions in the lifestyle department.
The obvious motivations behind the “don’t party too much, don’t drink too much” comments here is that from now on, nobody is checking on what time you get home. (some dorms excepted, obviously, but for the most part). In my experience, this also came along with a level of responsibility i wasn’t entirely prepared for…
Keep your dorm room/apratment/whatever CLEAN, and not just shoving stuff into closets, really clean. Keep it tidy and once a week (sunday afternoon) actually clean the floors, dust a little bit, keep the laundry under control. It can help you avoid a LOT of dormroom tension and makes your room what it should be: a safe comfortable place to retreat from all the insanity and stimuli that are hitting you from every direction.
Eat well. The dorm food is usually sort of buffet style, and its up to you not to have the mac and cheese or two extra puddings every night. They usually have a salad bar. use it. and if you don’t already know a bit about nutrition, check around on line and figure it out, also try togeta little breakfast before class if at all possible, if you actually get up in the morning and go sit and read a paper over some cereal or fruit for EVEN TEN MINUTES, you’ll have a better day than if you are contstantly running out the door three minutes before class starts, half awake.
Get some excercize. At my school we had PE classes that were available for like 1 elective credit. I tried to take one per semester. Golf, Biking, track, Weight Training, etc… just something.
Wear flip flops in the dorm showers. Just do. trust me.
Don’t listen to people that say you don’t have time to party. Just manage your time well. Don’t party EVERY DAY, and don’t feel guilty when you do. Get your work done to the best of your ability, go to all your classes, and if you have a night or two w a week to cut loose, by all means cut loose. This sort of delayed gratification/reward motivation is a nice way to stay sane. Never feel guilty about it.
I agree about avoiding the Frat route. If you are at a HUGE school, there might be some social advantage to pledging, but for the most part, i think you’d do better to make friends thru your dorms, classes, study groups, and that cool cafe where everybody studies.
Don’t get carried away with the nookie. Oh its soooo tempting. sooooooooo tempting. Everybody is drinking, everybody is horny, everybody looks GOOD, but trust me, the LAST thing you want is the get a reputation during your first semester, and spend the next seven living it down. Also, in a related point:
Don’t just into a "lonely"relationship right away. there are a lot of people to meet, fun to be had, an i for one think that right there along with “all freshmen must live on campus”, colleges should have a “NO SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP during the first MONTH” rule. (always exceptions of course, don’t flame me, college sweethearts)
When its time to start looking for apartments and roommates, you should already have your apartments and roomates picked out. In other words, the earlier the better, you’ll save time, stress, money, tears, headaches… if you attack such things proactively. And remember, a good roommate is not always the same thing as a good buddy. They overlap sometimes, but NOT ALWAYS.
Good Luck, have fun…
Chris
I forgot one thing. Take a language, I mean seriously enough to minor in it. One, it will open new horizons and you’ll meet interesting people that way. Two, take a year off (or junior year abroad) to go to a country where that language is spoken.
The benefits of being multilingual and multicultural will pay you back 100 times over throughout your life. Make sure you get a minor just because later in life you can “prove” to a grad school or employer that you really do speak the language. You can probably guess what language I took. 
Another (and related) academic point: get to know your professors/lecturers/tutors/whatever. If necessary, make up a question as an excuse to go talk to them after class, or send them an email, or go and see them in their office. In classes of >100, you want everyone teaching you to know your name (of course, it’s possible to get to know your lecturers for the wrong reason, but that’s another story…)
Also, note that probably all of the above advice comes with a fair degree of hindsight. All of us in this thread stuffed up somehow or other, and we’re giving you the benefit of our experience. You won’t follow all this advice. You will stuff up. You may skip classes, and stay up all night writing essays, and cram madly for exams. You may get horribly drunk and horribly hung over, and have dodgy sexual encounters with people you’d rather forget. In five years, you will in all likelihood write similar advice to new college students in SDMB threads…
Keep an eye on MPSIMS for the occasional opportunity to get together with DC-area Dopers.
Other than that, I’m mostly gonna second previous posters. Fretful’s got a good list; for right now, I’d highlight #1 and #4. A syllabus, among other things, generally lays down what percentage of the semester grade each type of test/quiz/assignment will count for, so it’s your guide, in each course, for How to Get Enough Points to Pass.
And I’ll jump with both feet on #4, and try not to wait until you’re totally lost before getting help - but if you do wait until then, get help then anyway. It’s easier to get straightened out when you first start realizing that there’s things your missing, than when it’s gone so far that you know you aren’t understanding a thing.
The people who man the writing center, the math lab, etc., won’t think you’re a dufe if you go there. Speaking as a former prof, I was always glad to see the ones who needed some help stop by. The ones that made me tear my hair out were the ones who clearly needed to get some help, but didn’t bother to get any help.
And like everyone else, I’ll say: attend class. If you miss classes, you won’t know how far you’re slipping behind. So an additional caveat: if you do miss a class, never ever miss the same class twice in a row. If you do, then by the time you get your fanny back in the class, three classes after you were last there, they’ll be in unfamiliar territory, and you’ll be dogmeat. As long as you attend class, if you start to get into trouble, you should be able to figure it out in time to fix it before it’s gone too far.
I blew my first chance at college. Now I’m going back in January, only this time with a husband and daughter in my life, so it’s gonna be a lot harder than if I had just did everything right the first time. Some of what I’m gonna tell you has already been said but it bears repeating.
Learn from my mistakes, friend:
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Go to class. Everyone else has said this but it is so true. Generally the more you go to class, the better your grades will be.
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If you are so inclined, don’t go Greek your first year. I joined a sorority within a month of starting college and it was a huge distraction. It is also expensive. Spend your first year establishing a good GPA, so you can “afford” to get out and socialize your sophmore year.
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If at all possible, I highly suggest getting a private room. Yes, sometimes it takes some doing and it costs extra but most dorm rooms simply are not big enough for 2 people. You’ll appreciate the extra space.
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Get carpet for your dorm room if possible. It will make your room feel more “homey.” Also, you will be less likely to throw your clothes on a carpeted floor than you would a bare one.
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Do not, I repeat, DO NOT fall into a credit card trap! Credit card companies will probably set up booths on your campus and hand out cards to students like candy. Don’t fall for it! It will be a thorn in your side later!
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If you have to take out student loans, do not take one penny more than you have to! I learned this the hard way and now I’m paying dearly for it. The student loan people are like the mafia: they can find you anywhere and they want their money.
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Don’t get all buddy buddy with your roomie right away. (This would probably be a bigger temptation for a woman than a man.)
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Almost all professors will bend over backwards for you if you are having trouble in class if you tell them. It also never hurts to pop into their office from time to time and shoot the breeze with them anyway … gives you face time and they will remember you later.
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Stay AWAY from the bootay! Many college freshmen tend to hump like bedbugs their first semester. In this day and age, it is simply dangerous. Wait for someone special.
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For your dorm room, you need 4 cinder blocks. Put your bed up on them. It will make it seem more like your bed from home and plus it creates a lot of nice storage space underneath. If your bed is uncomfortable get yourself an eggshell mattress, usually that will help a lot.
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Save your partying for the weekends. I had a sorority sister who was a hardcore partier but still managed to pull off a near-4.0 GPA. Her secret was no partying until Thursday night, no matter what, and only if she was caught up on everything. If you can discipline yourself to do this, you will be able to be both the social butterfly and the serious student. Besides, no good parties happen before Thursday night anyway – and whoever said that parties don’t start getting good till 11pm is right, too.
Have fun and above all else, study! Study hard! The quality of the rest of your life, in some regards, is riding on whether or not you get this degree! Poverty is no fun, take it from me, so get that degree and avoid it altogether!
PS: China Guy makes an excellent point about foreign languages. Learn one and you will be extremely attractive to prospective employers.