Could there be any month worse than August?

Think about it, no matter what your age, August is just an absolute travesty. The warm, sunny weather, the time off from work and days spent lazing around on the beach doing nothing. And who could forget sipping cool lemonade or beer on a porch in the afternoon with friends just chatting about nothing?

Oops, did I say "worst?" Well I'm betting at least one group of kids will blindly agree with my idiotic statement: college freshmen.

Unlike their college peers, freshmen have no friends to return to after long summers spent apart. They're about to be ripped from their family, friends and almost everything cozy and comfortable and plunged into a world of the unfamiliar. Forced to live with a bunch of strangers and about to embark on their last great adventure before the "real world" hits, for this group, August is spent with stomachs clenched in fear that the real world cometh.

If only the rest of us could be so lucky.

You see, no matter how miserable the first few days, weeks or months are, college really will become the best four years of your life. And no matter how deep that fear is of not knowing anyone at all, eventually someone will be sitting with you at lunch.

But I'd be lying if I said they were an easy four years. College is a blast, but if you don't pay attention, you might find yourself out on the curb after a year with a degree in beer pong and a minor in skipping class. Here's some advice from a wizened college veteran who battled through four years and came out alright. Well, sort of.

• Dealing with roommates: This is one of the most important aspects of the college experience, and I was fortunate to get paired with a kid who shared many of my amoral inclinations. Like studying and going to bed early.

Not everyone is as fortunate. Some of you will no doubt get stuck with the dirty roommate who never showers and leaves Doritos all over the floor. Some of you might get the inconsiderate roommate who never turns down his music or has his girlfriend over every night.

Talk to them. Let them know what they do is annoying. As fruity as it sounds, if you don't let them know how you feel, then they won't change their behavior. Do it early in the semester too, if you sense the irritable behavior is going to continue. Don't try to order them around however, and acknowledge that some of your habits will get annoying too.

If worse comes to worse, seek out your resident assistant or director and ask for a room change. Quitters may never win, but they sure get a good night's sleep.

• The night life: I'm probably not allowed to actually advise you to break the drinking laws, but I will relay a story about a shy freshman I knew intimately.

This freshman, spent half of his first year in college dutifully studying at the library and spending his ample free time playing video games. He was rewarded with a 4.0 for his efforts, but when he left for winter break, he found himself saying goodbye to only a few people. Our shy young freshman was sad.

The next semester, with the help of a little social lubricant, our freshman opened up to a great number of people, often with somewhat embarrassing results. While his grades slid a bit, he didn't get out of control and confined his substance abuse to one or two days a week and only on the weekend. When he left for summer, he found himself saying goodbye to a great many people, kids with whom he remained friends for his entire time at college.

There's a moral there somewhere, but good luck finding it.

BULLET- Mastering classes: While meeting people is important, the most important friend you will make at college is your syllabus. This document holds the key to your existence, informing you of when you need to actually bare down and write a paper or study for a test, and when one more round of Halo is more than acceptable.

Paying attention and physically going to class are probably important too, but that's always negotiable.

• Choosing classes: Don't rely on your adviser to set your schedule. You may not know what you want to do, but your adviser knows even less. In addition to teaching two or three classes, your advisor is typically conducting research of some sort and meeting with a bundle of other advisees.

You should be able to start planning out your entire college schedule right after the first semester. If you don't know exactly what you want to major in, spend your first two years getting the general education requirements out of the way and take a few classes in subjects which could be interesting.

Whatever you do, don't take classes just because your friends are in them. That's a direct line on the fast track to the five or six year college program and a loan payment your grandchildren will still be footing.

I only touched on a few things here, but follow my advice and you'll make it through that first year with flying colors. And not all of them will be stains on your T-shirt.