"In spite of all that can be said against our age, what a moment it is to be at university!"

Some Quaint, Old-fashioned Advice has been written to help students get the most from their time at university. It has also been written to give potential students a glimpse into university life - its rewards, its challenges, its character.

Numerous survival guides populate the shelves of university bookstores. Even so, few discuss what is most distinctive about university life. Some discuss how to prepare for admissions exams. Others focus on how to make (and stick to) a budget, how to cook one's own meals or how to find the best deals on everything from student accommodations to smart phones. These are all valuable skills, but they do little to help students understand what's special about universities and how to get the most from their time at university. They also do little to explain why a university education is important.

This book is different. Rather than giving suggestions about how best to navigate one's newfound social independence, this book focuses on helping students (both young and old) take advantage of their newfound intellectual independence. It says something about the opportunities and excitement a university education offers, and about the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful degree. It also includes some concrete suggestions about how to make the most of one's time at university.

To anyone who recently has been accepted into college or university, congratulations! Your adventure is about to begin!

A. Troglodyte began writing at Oxford University over a century ago. Recently, he (Or she? Or they? - no one really knows) has re-emerged to give advice to today's talented, hard-working college and university students.