First Tournament

I'm entering a chess tournament nearby tomorrow evening. I read the details a couple of weeks ago, and I believe they said there will be two tournaments at the same time, one for people rated under 1k, and one for 1000 to 1600, and in both, the clocks will be set to thirty minutes. Since I have no official rating, I assume I'll be in the former?

I honestly know pretty much nothing about chess tournaments except from what I've seen in YouTube videos and such.

Can anyone give me any tips to help me avoid making a fool of myself?

As long as you know the rules I don't imagine you making a fool of yourself.

I guess there are a few tourney specific rules.  If you touch a piece you have to move it (if it has a legal move).  If you touch an opponent's piece you have to capture it (if you can).  So don't move until you're sure about your move.

Do you have to keep score i.e. write the moves down?  If so be sure you're familiar with how to do that I guess.  Hit the clock after every move.  If you're unsure about a rule or something your opponent's done during the game stop the clock and find a/the tournament director and ask.

I've never had a problem with an opponent though.  You basically show up and play chess.  You do move, push clock, write it down, in that order.  "sit on your hands" (don't make impulsive moves) and of course have fun :)

The only time I've ever had to call an arbiter is when my opponent tried to call an illegal move in a touch move blitz tournament after I touched a pawn I couldn't move. Me and the arbiter both told my opponent that while an illegal move does lose, I don't have to move a piece that it is illegal to move.

Rather off topic from the OP, I'm sorry, I was responding to wafflemasters comment about never having a problem with an opponent.

Back on topic, just play chess, be sure you understand the rules of chess, turn your cell phone off, ask for clarification if you need it, and don't worry.

Wait, I just remembered that I once was trying to claim a 3 move repetition after my opponent had refused my draw offer. After about 5 mins of getting everything figured out and calling an arbiter he decided not to refute my claim, practically the same as accepting a draw (I think the claim was incorrect too, the technicality of the rules where the same player must have the move, even though the same position was repeated 3 times). That was interesting.

It will take you exactly one tournament to figure that all out.