To play the "dreaded" F major chord, you have to know the open E major form. The next form in the first fret is the F Major chord.

If you reposition your fingers in playing the E major using the second, third and pinky finger, you should see that E major has the first finger as the nut of the guitar.

Moving up one fret, is like moving the nut on the first fret, which is now your first finger. That is the F major chord.

To play it, bar your first finger on the first fret. "Bar" means to lie down the finger in the first fret. Making sure that the 6th string (thickest) and first, second string to ring out when played

You then put the middle finger on the 3rd finger, second fret.

The ring finger is on the 3rd fret of the 5th string.

Finally, the pinky on just below the ring finger. It's on the 3rd fret of the 4th string.