Congratulations on finishing high school and being accepted to college! We hope that we've helped you along the way.

Q. What should I do during the summer preceding the start of college?
A. We highly recommend that you carefully read the mail that your school sends you. Many important details regarding moving in, getting settled, and summer get-togethers will be discussed therein. Many universities now offer on-line community portals for students just accepted to their freshman classes; we encourage your taking advantage of these easy means of forging relationships in order to make the friend-making process seem a bit less daunting.

Q. What should I bring to school?
A. Simplicity is a virtue not often exalted in our society, but its application to your first away-from-home living arrangement would save you a lot of trouble. Students typically over-pack rather than under-pack, bringing about the dreaded overweight baggage charges and frequent headaches of transporting bulky items cross-country. Remember that many of the items that you so cherish may prove distracting in your acclimation to the school and your studies; having three video game systems won't guarantee that people will want to hang out with you. In fact, your overuse of those game systems might keep you from friendships that would have proven invaluable. With big-ticket items that you plan to purchase specifically for college, we recommend buying them in the vicinity of the university; then, there is no need to transport them cross-country, and it will be feasible to have them serviced in a reasonable amount of time. The local merchants will love you too!