Sep 13, 2016 07:40 AM EDT By Emily Marks, UniversityHerald Reporter

While parents and high school teachers will be doing their best to prepare students as they go off to college, there are things that freshmen need to know before they embark on their new journey.

Business Insider collected tips from Reddit users about what a high school senior should know before going to college. Some actually advised high school graduates against going to university.

"Not sure what you want to do? Not really all that in to school in general? Take a year or two, get your head on straight," Redditor mmmsoap commented. "If you decide to go at age 20 or 21, no one will think much of it other than you can buy alcohol earlier. So many kids go way into debt at crazy interest rates for degrees that do nothing for them, just because they can't think of anything else to do when they graduate from high school."

Moreover, students should be prepared to be independent. Reddit user slyscafe noted that professors are not there to spoon feed you and keep on motivating you. They're there to teach the course and help you understand it.

It is good to get to know your professors, though. Get close with a few teachers. This will help you get good letters of recommendation later on. Of course, don't just make friends with them for the sake of grades. Instead, make genuine connections and look up to them as your mentors.

Purplepeapod also urged incoming college freshmen to go to as many networking events as they can. "This is just as important as going to class will be for the rest of your college career," the Redditor wrote. "Seriously, friendships are forged and memories are made at these stupid things. You'll still be talking about these events four years later at graduation."

Building your professional contacts, as early as college, is also an important aspect of succeeding in the modern workplace. Learn to get yourself out there and network.

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