DORM LIVING:
Wow, this sounds like a rough topic right now.  Mostly you learn to live with other people who grew up differently than you did and have different backgrounds.  They also have different personalities, grew up with different rules, and have different values than you.  You have to learn top adjust to each other, meet each other halfway so you can live together.

If you have a room-mate that you don't know, I suggest that you try and contact them before you move in the dorms together so you can get acquainted with them as soon as possible and know exactly what you're getting into beforehand.  Just some really good advice for those planning to live in the dorms.  Set some ground rules as soon as possible and put them in a written contract so everyone follows them.  As long as there are some guidelines to live by no one will ever over-step their bounds.

Don't ever be afraid to speak up or bring up issues with your room-mates otherwise your room-mate may try to take advantage of you and walk all over you.  I'm glad I'm the type of person who addresses the problem when it happens so that there won't be any problems that are being dragged on for days or even weeks.  Don't worry about putting your foot down and look like the bad guy when things aren't being dealt with fairly, or else you'll be unhappy from that point on.  It's better that way in order to have equal rights and authority when it comes to living conditions or issues in the dorm.

Unlike everyone else living at home, you may not have access to all the luxuries that you had before.  You may not have enough room for everything or you or your room-mates did not bring some things, such as television, stereo, pots, or pans, etc.  You don't even have your own private bathroom or shower, so you have to learn to take turns.  This means you also have to learn to share and limit your time in the bathroom.  In addition to that, you also have to share the privileges to the internet and the phone.  On most campuses, there are Ethernet connections where students do not have to use their telephone lines to connect to the internet.  Unfortunately, my dorm does not have that yet so I have to use my telephone line to connect to AOL.  It's a real hassle since one of my room-mates always picks up the phone when I'm either on the phone or the internet.  Therefore, I am booted off-line and its real hard to get back on since Irvine has only two access lines for AOL.  Oh well, that's life, well for now anyway. 

COLLEGE CLASSES:
College classes are extremely different from high school classes.  You can't just study to get by anymore.  Instead, you have to study and remember everything for finals.  It's not like in high school where everything was covered in class is the only thing you have to study for the final.  Now you have to study everything in the book, even though it wasn't covered in the lecture.  Don't believe the rumors about college.  Rumors that they don't take attendance or there's no homework.  Those rumors are false.  They still take attendance and they give homework, and plenty of it.

Classes at UC Irvine are extremely competitive.  Some people like me, think because they took several college level or honors classes in high school they'd have an easy time in college.  WRONG!  Those classes may help put you slightly ahead when school starts but the intensity of those classes is nothing compared to the actual college class.  It's as though all the information that I gained in 2 semesters of high school chemistry, I reviewed in my general chemistry during fall quarter alone.  I have two words that would be of tremendous importance to those soon-to-be college freshmen - TIME MANAGEMENT!  Remember those two words and practice it habitually and you'll do fine.  I haven't mastered that quite yet.  I still have to work on it.  Just remember to practice good time management skills, study 2 hours for every 1 hour of lecture you attend and most importantly . . . DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!!

Just some advice I would give to those who will be applying to colleges or attending college in the near future.  Don't get discouraged because you feel intimidated by the professor or other students who seem to be doing better than you.  Don't ever give up so easily.  College is really tough and competitive so just keep trying and stay focused and determined.  Give everything your 100% effort and you'll get out what you put in.  Just don't push yourself too hard or you'll burn out quickly and it may even pull you behind because you'll be too sick to study.  Also, try to work in groups or get help.  Don't ever feel ashamed because you need help or tutoring.  In college, it's the only way you'll fully understand the material because the tutors break down what is taught during lectures.  Tutors in college are mostly for those who want to succeed, not those who are behind, although they can be usd for that purpose too.

CAFETERIA FOOD:
Another tough topic, just kidding.  Well just keep in mind that this is from the perspective of an extremely fussy eater.  The food here is okay.  It may not be the best in the world, but it is better than Jr. High cafeteria food.  It makes you appreciate the food you have at home, even the foods you got tired of eating so much.  I know at my house we'd eat the same types of food all the time and I'd get tired of it.  But being here makes me want to go back to eating the same dishes repeatedly.  Actually, I'd say that the cafeteria food here isn't all that bad, you just have to get used to it.  I can't say that I got used to eating the food here because I would get fast food if I didn't like it.  I'd go to the dorm cafeteria and try and eat something there but if I don't eat the kind of food that they have I'd go and buy some fast food.  I would try not to buy fast food as much as possible to save money but it's hard because it tastes so much better than dorm food.  Money in college is pretty scarce but I manage to squeeze a few more dollars out of my pockets and my parents' pockets as well.  That's another thing you learn in college and living on you own - how to budget money.  You can't always be asking mom and dad for money because the cost of living in the dorm, books, parking, and tuition are expensive.  My dorm alone costs $1700 per quarter and tuition is about $1300 per quarter (depending on the amount of units taken).  You just have to chooses when you're going to eat out and when you're going to eat in the cafeteria.  Sometimes its okay to eat out because you need a change in food.  Just don't get used to it because it will eventually add up later.