Are you ready to be a college student? If you are unsure, that is not a positive sign that you are prepared for your new life as a college student. The time is here to step out of the high school realm and into the real college world.

College is a world where the presence of parents and nagging teachers does not exist. Responsibility is no longer just partially yours; it is entirely rested upon your shoulders, so get ready.

Many incoming freshmen come from high schools where teachers are constantly making sure that homework, readings and other assignments are done. For many of us, that is how we remained on task. Colleges use what I like to call the "No Violin Stories Allowed Policy."

The move from high school to college carries the possibility of being a turbulent transition. There are differences between the two educational levels that need to be understood.

In college, there are no professors who will make sure you do what is required for the course you are taking. In high school, teachers played a watchdog role over our progress. We ourselves are the only objects standing in between the roads to success or failure. Professors in college are not willing to hear the "violin sob stories" that might have touched high school teachers. "Excuses" is a word and idea that needs to be permanently erased from our vocabularies. They don't work, so don't even think about using them.

Coming to college is a full-time job where we are not paid and we have many bosses. Our bosses expect and demand the best. Our job descriptions include two crucial elements that if breached, failure is an inevitable possibility. The first is responsibility.

In the past, I will admit that I was one to question the importance of responsibility. I am no longer in a position to question that. When attending college, we and our parents are dealing with thousands of dollars. If you had thousands of dollars invested in something other than college, I bet you would be extremely responsible with it. College is that investment, so act responsibly because you wouldn't want to ruin that investment.

Responsibility concerns many different things. Be responsible for schoolwork, but also be responsible for your health and social life. Remember that there is nobody else here to do handle these responsibilities.

The next element of our job description is staying on task. This blends and mixes in with the idea of being responsible. Doing this successfully is not as easily done as said.

At any university, especially Penn State with its gigantic campus and student body, veering off the path of work and responsibility can be very easy. Parties, opposite sex attractions and other activities are found all over campus in excess. There is plenty of time to enjoy and indulge in those other fun college experiences, but as the saying goes, all work before play. If you ask any college student, they will tell you, if you do anything, keep up with your class work. You should be constantly asking yourself, what do I need to do to be prepared and stay on task?

It is the unfortunate truth, but at the college level, professors aren't really concerned about whether you fail, that is your challenge to worry about. If you want to be promoted through the job ranks of college then perform your job to the best of your capabilities.

Many freshmen have heard these rules and pieces of advice over and over again. Hearing them one more time will definitely not be detrimental. In fact, this advice will serve as the golden rules for success.