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Not to freak you out, but it's time to start thinking about preparing for College. Unlike high school, when your biggest prepping-for-the-new-year concerns were scoring the same lunch period as your friends and buying an outfit hot enough to make your crush (and the rest of the student body) drool, preparing for college is significantly more complex. In addition to buying books, arranging course schedules, and shopping for Dorm supplies, here are 10 more things you simply must do before college.

1. Get in touch with your college roommate(s). Unless you're one of those lucky souls who managed to score a single dorm room, it's inevitable you're going to be meeting up soon anyway. So why not do it early, while you're preparing for college, and you could potentially save each other lots of time, money, and headaches? "There are so many items students want to bring to school--mini-refrigerators, microwaves, TVs--and absolutely no reason to bring two of each," points out Dr. Roger Sorochty, vice president for enrollment and student services at the University of Tulsa (TU, Tulsa, OK). Early communication is also a great icebreaker and a fun way to learn about each other's interests, pet peeves, and habits. Note to shy people: not knowing how to get in touch is no excuse. Most schools send college roommate contact 411 weeks before college begins.

2. Stock up on the following items: Quarters (for laundry), ear plugs (to block out the snoring of noisy sleepers), and duct tape ("Which is an absolute necessity," insists Boston college (Chestnut Hill, MA) sophomore Haley Mancini, whose classmates use the sticky, silver-coated adhesive for everything from hanging posters and tacking up Christmas lights to making sure TV and microwave towers stick together.)

3. Memorize your Social Security number. You know that nine-digit number good ol' Uncle Sam uses to keep track of your summer earnings? Once you set foot in the collegiate world, it practically becomes your lifeline. Checking grades. Registering for classes. Dealing with the financial aid office. "Practically everywhere you go, you're asked for it," confirms Amy Brown, a senior at the University of Denver, CO. So be smart and commit this baby to memory, pronto. Trust us. It'll be the smartest 10 minutes you'll spend before college.

4. Spend quality time with your family and high school friends. "You take it for granted and don't realize how much you're going to miss them before you leave for school," laments Laurie Musgrave, a junior at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN). "Suddenly, you're gone and you can't get them back."

5. Verify your health coverage. We know, we know--it sounds boring. But did you realize that without health insurance, a "simple" broken leg could cost upward of $5,000 in surgery? That's more than an entire year's tuition at some schools. "The problem is that so many people today are covered by HMOs, which either jack up the cost or refuse to pay for treatment altogether if you go anywhere besides your primary care physician," warns Dr. Sorochty. (Bad news for out-of-towners!) Fortunately, virtually every college offers an affordable student health insurance plan. At TU, for example, full coverage is only $60 per month.

6. Start a regular exercise plan. "In college, you're doing about 10 or 15 things a day, and if you have that one hour to yourself where you don't have to think about anything, but you're still helping your body, it can be a big stress relief," advises recent University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate Nick Nyffeler, who kept active in school by playing intramural sports and working out. Added bonus: It'll help combat the dreaded "Freshman 15."

7. Have your mom or dad teach you how to do laundry. That way, you can avoid the fate of University of Colorado at Boulder junior Max Geitner, who once washed an entire load of clothing in the wrong temperature water, and ended up having to restretch his shrunken duds by hand. "I knew enough to separate whites from colors, but beyond that, I had no clue," Max admits. Other good skills to brush up on before college? Cooking, car maintenance, and computer operation.

8. Break up with your high school sweetheart. Now, before you start panicking, take a deep breath and repeat the following: There are exceptions to every rule. Generally speaking, however, most high school relationships don't survive the college transition. And many been-there, burned-by-that romance veterans say don't even try. "It limits your experience. You'll either end up cheating and feeling guilty, growing apart and breaking up anyway, or not being as social because you're afraid to go out and meet new people," Amy warns. Her sanity -- and perhaps relationship-saving -- suggestion? Agree to see other people during the school year, then reunite over the summer and reevaluate your feelings.

9. Hook up with your high school crush. You know that super-hot girl or guy you were always secretly dying to ask to homecoming, but never did? Now's the time to act -- before college permanently separates you. "Chances are good that they've always had a crush on you, too, so why not go for it?" says University of Florida-Gainesville senior Hank Woodward. "I did -- and it was a great opportunity to say good-bye and bring closure to a situation where there was a lot of tension. I don't regret it at all."

10. Take a walking tour around campus. And no, the sole purpose of said excursion is not to scan for hotties (although, stopping to ask a super-cute senior for the time doesn't hurt). The point is to familiarize yourself with where all the major campus landmarks are located, including the student union, the library, the bookstore, before college begins.

Extra credit for the super-motivated: Buy your textbooks a few days early and skim through them to get a jump-start on acing each class!

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