Getting Ready for College! Are you prepared?
Congratulations to all graduating high school classes of 2018! You finally graduated! Now that you graduated, you’re probably super excited about your next journey heading to college, right? Although, you may be super excited, have you asked yourself if you are prepared for college? Whether you’re attending community college or a university, it can be a challenge entering a new environment all over again. You may be leaving your family or closest friends which can be a scary feeling. Also, there are tons of things you must do before you attend college in the fall. For example, register for classes, attend orientation, apply to scholarships, make sure your financial aid package covers your tuition, and so much more. Despite your fears and worries, college is a very exciting and FUN experience! However, be sure make sure to stay on task if you truly want to succeed throughout your college curriculum.
So how can you prepare for college?
The very first thing you should do when preparing for college is create a financial budget. Don’t wait until the last minute to do so. College can be very expensive, and you want to make sure you have enough funds to cover tuition, books, meal plans, and other expenses. By doing this, it allows you to prioritize your budget to make sure you afford can college. If not, colleges will place a hold on your account or disenroll you from their program if you do not pay fees by deadlines. YOU DON’T WANT THIS HAPPEN. If your financial aid package doesn’t cover your full tuition, then choose a work study program that helps you pay monthly expenses to continue your enrollment in school.
Get familiarize with your college campus. It’s important to know your surrounding areas in your new town. Some college campuses have bus routes that can take you off campus to malls, restaurants, parks and more! Also, you want to know where important areas are located like hospitals, police/fire department, financial aid office, professor offices etc. Most likely if your moving away from home, your college campus will be your new hometown for the next four to five years. Thus, you want to make the best of it.
START PACKING NOW! For those of you who will be living on campus, it’s important to start packing for your college dorm immediately. There are many items that you will need in preparation of your transition. It’s important to pack accordingly and take what you need. Eventually, you will accumulate items over time. Here are a few items you will want to take with you:
- XL Twin sheets
- Toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothbrush, etc.)
- Laptop
- Microwave and mini-refrigerator (if allowed)
- Clothes
- Supplies (pens, pencils, sticky notes, folders, etc.).
- Cleaning supplies
- Snacks (chips, water, granola bars, etc.)
- Laundry detergent
Attend orientation! Orientation is extremely important because this is a guide to your freshman year. Orientation provide a way for students to meet other students, become familiar with campus resources and activities, and register for classes. So, don’t miss out and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Start focusing on what major and minor you would like to study. Spend some time at home during the summer researching their academic curriculum for that program. This will help you decide if the program is for you or not. When deciding, contact someone from that specific department to gather more information. Remember, it’s okay to change your major throughout college. The worst thing you can do is graduate with a degree that you have no interest in pursuing that field of work. If you must change your major 2-3 times to find out what you would like to do for the rest of your life, then do it!
Lastly, spend time with family and friends before you leave. Especially, if you are attending college a few hours away from home or out of the state. At times, you may feel homesick while your away, so surround yourself with much love, joy, and laughter as much as you can before you leave.
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