Starting your freshman year? Here's some advice from the book "How to Survive Your Freshman Year" (Hundreds of Heads Books, $13.95), straight from people who've done it:

“Best gift to ask for from your parents: One really great sleeping bag. You’ll use it for everything, from spring break in a hotel room with 20 other people, to backpacking across Europe or the U.S.”

— Wendy W., University of Georgia, 1996 

“Bring some good pajamas. It’s uncomfortable sleeping with other people in the same room, but one thing that helps is to have good pajamas that cover most of your body parts. You can lounge around in them without worrying about how you look.”

— S.G., Columbia University, senior

“A nice towel is really important. People see you in your towel and you need to look good. Douglas Adams said the towel is the most important piece of equipment in the universe, because you can do so much with it.”

—Tim Joyce, Georgetown University, senior

“Bring lots of bedding. Foam ‘egg crates’ are a must. The mattresses at my school are covered in rubber in case you wet the bed or something, so I got a feather bed, and lots of people have foam things. Then you can get a good night’s sleep.”

— Edith Zimmerman, Wesleyan University, sophomore

— S.L.M., Indiana University, 1982

Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share.