Hi there, I'm 21 so I'm not too much older than you and currently in the same process. If all of this is wrong and an older wiser member can correct me, I'd appreciate it! Haha.

Last May I opened a credit card, a travel rewards card through BoA, because I was studying abroad for 4 months and needed a chip and pin card with easy money access. I've had a debit card since I was 16, but this was my first credit card. I've paid it off every single month of course, but I went in entirely assuming using more and paying it all off was showing I had the ability to pay more. Nope! My card has a $700 limit, and I just learned it's recommended I don't go over 30% of my limit, or $200. My credit score sat at roughly 675-690 through just this.

I am also about to move into my first off-campus apartment with friends, so I volunteered myself to be the one who signed us up for Internet and power and be the one responsible for paying those each month (with them giving me their share of the cost, obviously). I also just signed up to be on my own phone plan with my younger sister attached (19). All of these add to my credit score. In just a month, it's risen to 720.

While I don't think it's recommended to sign up for a ton of things at once, just steadily find practical ways like this to show credit companies that you are responsible and can pay every month. Never get behind, don't pay anything less than in full on a credit card if you can help it, and let things slowly build over time. Luckily I don't have car or school loans, thanks to my parents, so this was my only way to gain credit. Hopefully by the time I'm 25 or whenever I begin looking for a house, it'll be higher still.

Good luck!