One bit of advice that I would give next semester's English 101 students is to pay attention to the comments that the teacher gives you and to think about the changes you could make. Also, if you have questions or if you wonder what he or she means by one of their comments, go in and talk to them during their office hours or something. Conferences are very helpful and will lead you in the right direction. Get on your instructor's good side by coming to class every time and turning in all your assignments on time or early if you are going to be absent. Asking questions during class is also a good way to do well, and get on everybody else's good side, too.
Questions are very important to find out exactly what the teacher wants on different assignments.
When it comes to writing your papers, use as many personal experiences and details as possible. No matter what you write, the instructor will often ask you to expand on your ideas. Eventually you will come up with something that you like. In the end, revisions will usually get you a better grade. The last piece of advice that I will give is that you should always stay on top of your assignments and turn them in on time.