In the early modern period, a student could freely determine their life both inside and outside the lecture hall. However, this freedom carried various dangers. Those who did not understand the structure of a study program and the social rules at the university could easily fail. To prevent this, advisory literature began to emerge in the 1670s, warning against the misuse of "student freedom" and explaining to readers how to study properly. The study reconstructs the social, economic, and legal conditions of attending a university in the 18th century. It analyzes the advice for successful studying and explains the disappearance of this genre of sources around 1800, when the introduction of binding study plans, certificates, and "academic laws" made the disciplining of students possible without advisory literature.