Lecturers won't know you: In high school, your teacher knows you on a first-name basis, and sees you multiple times a week for more than an hour. In university, you're one of maybe 500 students in their lecture hall, which has little to no class discussion. When you email them, state your name, and which class you're in, because they probably have never heard of you. In some classes, there might be a dozen of you, and the lecturer will know you, but in most classes, you're just another student
Try everything, even outside of uni: University is a great way to socialise, since we're all now adults. If you see a flyer for a pub event, or gathering that interests you, take some time to check it out. You find people with similar interests, and maybe someone in your class you never talk to either. O-Week is a really good chance for all of this too, but even during the school year, it's good fun
Look around for clubs: Sport teams, hobby clubs, even cultural meetings; these can all be very beneficial. I joined the volleyball team for my university, and I met loads of good people, even from other clubs. I always see communities for Punjabi, Asian, and International students, and they're always welcoming and active. Look around during O-Week, and throughout the year, also on the university social media pages too!
Do NOT cheat on ANYTHING: omg, university takes cheating very seriously. In high school, you might get a slap on the wrist, or a letter home to your parents if you copy off someone else. In university, you risk getting expelled. Every essay you submit will be run through TurnItIn, to make sure you haven't copied off anyone else's essay, or just copied and pasted information. If a lecturer suspects cheating of any kind, they'll send you straight to a board of administrators, and I've heard it can be hard to plead innocence. Even working together on the same essay or a quiz with friends can be risky, so avoid it at all costs. Most universities have a short compulsory online module to inform you about cheating, so be sure to read into that early
Uni is nothing like high school: This I heard all the time in my First Year, from the students and lecturers. Just because you did well in high school, does not mean you'll do fine in uni. A friend of mine got an ATAR in the low 90s, but dropped out of uni after a year, because it wasn't for him. Meanwhile, some kids who did alright in high school are excelling in uni, because they enjoy the autonomy, and ability to study however, whenever. Not every student with a good ATAR will fail though. Just understand how it all changes.
Don't be a nerd: DO NOT be one of those losers who spends every Friday and Saturday night stuck in his room doing study. DO NOT be some dork who avoids every social event, just to revise content for the fourth time. Get outside, enjoy a hobby, be social, find friends. Even just going out somewhere for a drink, and enjoying the atmosphere. You might have your silly little rivalries with kids in your Methods or Physics class, but in uni, that doesn't exist. Scores are scores, not rankings. If you have an essay due that night, definitely stay home and finish it off, but don't spend all your time, away from everyone else, studying and revising. You're an adult, try to be social, and enjoy yourself. There's bound to be at least one person with similar interests and ideas to you
