1. Not that you have a choice (most likely), but dorms are a great place for at least the first year. You will be surrounded by others in the same boat, and it really gives you a chance to meet people.
2. If you plan to rent an apartment the following year, start looking after winter break. If you plan to share your apartment, you had better have a great read on the people you want to live with. Take advantage of #1.
3. Learn to be self-sufficient with respect to studying. Most posters here probably have no trouble with looking stuff up on the internet, but know that there is a wide, wide gap between info gleaned from Wikipedia and from peer-reviewed journals.
4. DON'T PROCRASTINATE when it comes to studying. You will have more freedom and free time than you have ever had before, and than you will ever have again. While you definitely should (and will) enjoy yourself, know that you are now playing on a totally different level of academia. You might have been hot stuff in high school, but be prepared to be humbled. At the same time, don't be discouraged- everyone else is going through the same process.
5. GO TO CLASS. And pay attention. Once you know what you are up against, and provided that you are very motivated and proficient at teaching yourself, you can afford to miss a class here and there if you feel that your time would be better spent studying on your own/for another class/catching up on sleep for a final. But do not make a habit of this, and definitely do not do this during your first year.
6. Getting a part-time job on campus can be beneficial depending on your situation. If you are excellent at managing your time, and can make use of free time productively, by all means continue to do so. However, a part-time job can be a great opportunity to make connections, get to know people, make good use of time, and if you work the same job through all of college (and do it well), you have a potentially valuable resume-booster, and at the very least, a solid letter of recommendation from your employer if necessary (i.e. grad school). Getting a job to make money should be a secondary motivation, unless you absolutely have to.
7. Get your butt in the gym. You will be surrounded by food, parties, alcohol, stress, and the germs of thousands of peers who do not necessarily care about personal hygine as you do. You will find it much easier to cope if you regularly work off stress. The gym can also be a great place to meet like-minded people (but don't be that guy who goes to pick up girls. And for the love of god don't curl in the squat rack). Along the same line, make it a habit to do laundry regularly.
8. Find a place to study. Your dorm room will almost definitely be a poor choice. Crazy roomates aside, chances are there will be too many distractions. Discover your libraries and find an ideal setup for yourself.
9. Portect your valuables. You will be living with people from all over the place. Most will be trustworthy. Some won't. Use common sense and don't leave your laptop lying unsecured with your wallet on top while you go outside for some fresh air.
10. Pack lightly. The less stuff you have, the more space, and less you will be weighed down and inconvenienced when it comes time to move. Do pack cleaning supplies, because it is almost guaranteed that no one else will.
11. Be considerate of your roomate. Yes, there are a lot of psychos. But most people are more or less normal, and will remain that way so long as boundaries concerning personal space, cleanliness, noise, etc. are observed. Don't hesitate to voice your concerns.
12. Have fun! Remember, everything (academic and social) in moderation. College will almost definitely be a time of your life you look back on fondly, so enjoy it for all it is worth!
P.S. Call your parents a few times a week for the first two weeks, as they will be concerned. After that, keep in regular contact, but neither you nor they should be excessively clingy/intrusive.
P.P.S. Mind the two-floor rule: avoid relations with anyone closer than two floors above or below you.