advice to a first time backpacker I don't know headed to Europe for the summer before college

First, I would highly recommend buying Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring. It has sections on every country in Europe and it's geared toward backpackers, with great maps. And it's big and heavy, but I always tear out whatever map or section I need when I need it and leave the rest back at the hostel. If you want to spend more time in a certain city/country/area, you should probably also get the guide book specific to that city/country/area because it will be far more detailed, in which case Lonely Planet's website offers pretty good deals.

Just about everywhere, a lot of people speak English, but it's never a good idea to assume, and it can never be repeated too much, learning how to say please, thank you, excuse me, hello, goodbye, etc. in every language makes things a lot easier, and Lonely Planet has language sections that are totally user-friendly.

One website I've returned to a million times is http://www.backpackeurope.com/. Indispensable resource. She has everything from packing checklists (it's summer: pack light and remember you can get anything and everything on the road if you need to; don't take anything just in case because it will only make your bag heavier) to links to hostel booking websites, and a lot of really great advice. One thing she suggests about booking hostels, and I agree, is that booking as far in advance as possible is the way to go, especially in summer when places book faster. But don't think that means you have to have the whole summer booked and planned out in advance, even more than a few days in advance. Flexibility is also really important. Say you meet some people and want to change plans or a certain city isn't working out for you, or you want to stay a few more weeks, or whatever, it's all part of the adventure.

Also, speaking of hostels - Nathan's in Warsaw was fantastic and they are in other cities too; super modern and there's a music school across the courtyard, so my friend and I woke to the muffled far off sounds of children singing and playing piano (very well). Three Ducks in Paris was pretty cool; great bar downstairs and close to everything. London, Smart Hyde Park Inn was really nice and located a block from the tube and next to Hyde Park. Salzburg, Haus Christine is kind of a trek, but you can't beat the view. Interlaken, Balmer's (slept outside in the tent village, which is a million times nicer than it sounds and cooler in summer than staying inside). You get the idea. I stayed at a pretty frightening place in Prague, but I can't remember the name, just that it was pretty far from city center and my friend and I were the only guests, and it was winter, and we arrived late at night. Prague is awesome. Oh, and in Berlin, Schlafmeile was fantastic; it's nice and modern, it's a great location, I met some really great people there in the communal kitchen, and the owner is a guy from New Zealand with a cool restaurant/pub down the street.

Also, if you're going to be traveling around a lot, get a railpass. It's totally worth it and way flexible. The last time I backpacked, I spent whole days on the train because each time you use it, it's good for the whole day of travel. For example, when I went from Brussels to Amsterdam, I stopped in Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp for a few hours before hopping back on the train, and when I was in Cologne (Koln) I spent the day I arrived just riding the train up to Essen and down the Mosel Valley (toward Frankfurt) because it's just beautiful, and I stopped in Muenster (cute little college town) on the way to Berlin.

And now I'm wishing I was planning a trip of my own, and for a second I thought I was jealous of your forthcoming adventure, and then I realized: I've done it. And I will probably do it again, but if I don't that's okay. I'm not missing out on anything because I've done the backpacking, the four surprise train transfers in minuscule Czech towns in the middle of the night, I've gotten up at 6 a.m. and spent the day sightseeing only to get invited to dinner by random German girls who want to practice their English and then go out dancing until 5 a.m. at a Cuban club in Brussels, I've slept in a room with 17 other girls, I've done my laundry in a sink. And it was brilliant. But so was renting an apartment in Buenos Aires for two weeks, and staying with a native in St Petersburg for three. All are adventures. And so is this.