BLOG
Heading to College? Here’s What You Need to Prepare for in T-Minus 31 Days
Back to the blog
Congratulations, high school grad! After years of studying and endless applications, you’re finally on your way to college. But first, you have one more summer under your parents’ roof, during which time you’ll likely be hanging out poolside, meeting up with friends, and enjoying family meals for free.
While we’re all for summer relaxation, you probably also want to enjoy a smooth transition into college life, right? If so, check out uCribs’ 31-day breakdown of all the important things to do before packing up and hitting the road. And remember, the only thing that stands between you and a great first day of college is a mere month spent checking off the following must-do items:
Get Organized
- Clean out your closet.
Odds are, there are a lot of things you wore in high school that you wouldn’t dream of taking with you to college. Go through your wardrobe to decide what you want to take and what should stay at home.
- Organize your stuff.
If you haven’t started packing yet, take it from us: it’s way easier to do once you’ve thoroughly organized your personal belongings. Start doing that sooner rather than later.
- Clean up your social media profiles.
Nearly everyone will look at your social media profiles upon meeting you at college. Got a lot of very high school-oriented profile pictures? Delete those. Any embarrassing status updates you could live without? Clear those out too.
- Take note of important names, phone numbers, and addresses.
Make a list of those names and numbers you don’t know off the top of your head but will need in case of an emergency. These could include doctors, family friends, and emergency contacts.
- Memorize your social security number and license plate number.
You’ll need to know this information more often than you think. And your parents won’t be there to gently remind you that your social security number ends in a 0, not 1. So, study up!
- Update your tech.
Even if a new laptop or cell phone isn’t in the works, you can still do what you can to optimize the gadgets you own. Clear out old or pointless files and make sure you update to the newest operating systems on all your current devices.
- Send thank you notes to everyone who helped you get where you are today.
You may have handled this immediately following graduation, but if you didn’t send out handwritten thank you notes, do so now. This small gesture will mean more than you know to former teachers and close family members.
- Create (or update) a personal calendar with key academic dates.
Get in the habit of writing everything down in a personal calendar or agenda. This will help you visualize deadlines and prevent dreaded, last-minute cram sessions.
Sort Out Financial Affairs
- Make sure financial aid has gone through.
While financial aid departments typically have a good handle on student affairs, it’s never a bad idea to reach out to the personnel handling your scholarships and loans to make sure that all is handled before your fee bill deadline.
- Save up some money.
Hey, it never hurts to have a rainy-day fund— even if it’s small. There will be plenty of things you’ll want to purchase when you’re on your own, so being one step ahead and having a bit of cash to draw from will make freshman year so much more fun and a little less stressful.
- Apply for an emergency credit card.
If you’re interested in applying for an emergency credit card, it’s better to do so before the start of the semester. Although you should be very careful to not make bad decisions with a credit card, building a financial history while you’re fresh out of high school can help establish your credit ranking well before you reach adulthood.
- Determine your sources of income.
In addition to figuring out whether you’d like a credit card, take some time to determine your sources of income. Are you expecting to take a part-time job, or freelance work when you can spare the time? If your family will help you financially, how much can you expect to receive, and how often?
- Continue to apply for scholarships.
Even if you already have freshman year handled financially, three more years of college remain. Staying up-to-date with scholarship offerings is a smart idea for those hoping to reduce student loan payouts.
Get in the Right Mindset
- Read books old and new.
College will undoubtedly require much more reading and studying than what you’re used to, and there’s no better way to get in the right mindset than by reading a new book or revisiting an old favorite.
- Research everything you can about your new college and possible major.
Find as much information as possible regarding your new college, possible major, student activities, etc. This research doesn’t have to be limited to scholarly pursuits, either. Being able to locate the closest Chipotle is arguably just as important as knowing where the library is. (Just kidding. Kind of.)
- Set a tentative plan for your college career.
If your school publishes their handbook with college courses and proposed career pathways, consider devoting an afternoon to reading through these materials and thinking about which classes you’d like to take in the future. Even if this changes once you enter college, it’ll feel great to have a clear direction ahead of you once you begin attending classes.
- Get a grip on current events.
In high school, you could get away with being oblivious to the news. But you’re a college student now, so there’s no better time to start paying attention to issues that affect our world.
- Master essential life skills.
If you’ve never shopped for groceries, washed dishes, did laundry, cooked a meal, or made a pot of coffee, now is the time, young Padawan.
- Set up a LinkedIn account.
LinkedIn is the social media channel designed for professional networking and development. While you may not have many contacts to add yet, establish an account and start by adding your fellow peers and most-beloved professors.
- Do something totally out of your comfort zone.
Just to be clear, we’re not suggesting that you go skydiving or bungee jumping. Rather, just get more familiar with something that scares you, like making new friends. College is full of scary yet exciting challenges, and the sooner you can build the courage to do something that you would normally turn down, the more successful you’ll be.
Look Good and Feel Great
- Get a physical from your doctor.
Many schools require that students receive certain shots before enrolling in classes. Even if you’ve crossed that off the list, it never hurts to get a final physical before heading off to a new place where you’ll be in close quarters with many other young people.
- Sign up for a self-defense workshop.
While we don’t mean to scare anyone, it’s best to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Look for self-defense classes or workshops offered near your hometown before you set off to your next grand adventure.
- Get a haircut, massage, or anything else that makes you look and feel great.
You know how the first day of high school entailed picking out an on-trend outfit? With new shoes on your feet, you felt like you could take on the world! Emulate that same level of confidence by booking a haircut, massage, pedicure, or whatever else gives you confidence in your appearance.
Make Time to Enjoy Home
- Spend time with your parents and other family members.
You will miss those closest to you once you’re off at college. Plan time to spend some quality time with your parents, siblings, and other family members, whether it’s enjoying a meal out or catching a summer flick together.
- Plan a going-away party or a special night out with friends.
If your friend group from high school is also enrolling in college, chances are this could be the last time you all get together before life starts to change—yes, it’s sad, but true. So, be sure to get in that quality time while you still can by doing an activity together you’ve always enjoyed doing such as walking along the lake, bowling, or grabbing frozen yogurt.
- Spend a day soaking up your hometown.
Sure, you may roll your eyes now, but you’ll definitely find yourself longing for that certain spot in the park or the café americano that your favorite barista used to make. Spend a day hanging out in your hometown, soaking up all the things you love about it as a tourist would.
Prepare for Moving Day
- Reach out to your new roommate.
Most of the time, you’ll receive at least the name and phone number of your freshman roommate. You could even try adding them on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat! Just try to reach out to that person before school starts to feel out the other person’s personality, interests, and expectations of you as a roomie.
- Visit your new college town for a day.
If travel time and money allows it, physically visit your new college town and get to know the lay of the land, including local restaurants, coffee shops, entertainment venues, etc. Trust us, you’ll definitely want to know where the closest Starbucks is once you take a look at those syllabi.
- Make sure your car is in good working condition (if you are taking one).
Hitting the road and heading off to college is NOT the time to realize that your car’s transmission is on its last legs. If you own a car and are planning to take it to college, do yourself a favor and invest in a basic inspection before you drive off into the great wide world that is young adulthood.
- Plan your dorm décor.
One of the fun things about going to college is decorating your dorm—now, you actually have the chance to express your personal style. Plan to devote at least a day to online shopping or creating Pinterest boards dedicated to the look you want in your new space. Plus, there are plenty of dorm room inspo Instagrams in the age of social media!
Finally…
- Soak up the remainder of summer break!
Don’t forget to make the most of your last few days free from any and all college obligations! After all, this is the last time you’ll be able to experience true freedom before the next chapter of your life sets in. In other words, live it up!
Share this article:
