4 Things I’m Doing to Prepare for College
Preparing for college has been a bittersweet experience for me — while I’ll miss my life at home, I’m excited to venture into unknown territory.
(David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Transitioning to college can be frightening — from making new friends, to adjusting to the new style of classes, to maybe even living miles away from home for the first time. To make the transition easier, there are a few things I’m doing this summer to prepare.
First, I’ve been reaching out to other incoming freshmen to make friends. Upperclassmen often warn against relying on others to reach out. In college, people do their own thing, so I need to take the first step and reach out. But, trying to balance a social life, academics, and my own dorm would be difficult during my first few weeks, so I decided to make friends before-hand to smooth the transition. There are many resources available to meet current students, such as Instagram Class of 2027 pages and welcome sessions hosted by the college.
Second, I am starting early on course registration. College course selection is nothing like that of high school. There are hundreds of course options and no fixed schedule. Especially, a double major or minor can get tricky with course overlap. Almost all colleges have an academic advisor available to help out with course selection, so I’ve been working with my academic advisor as it’s better to start early and give myself some wiggle room. At most colleges, including mine, courses are expensive, so I am taking some courses through local community colleges and transferring the credit to save money and time in the fall. I even got to enroll for AP tests according to the credit transfer policy at my school.
Third, I’ve been shortlisting what to bring to college and purchasing items for my dorm. Moving to college is like moving houses and takes weeks of packing and preparing. Dorms are also extremely limited in resources, so it is up to students to purchase furniture and other items. To avoid getting overwhelmed with packing at the last minute, I’ve started to plan a few months in advance.
Last, I’m spending quality time with my friends and family and exploring my hobbies. This is one of my most free summers, so I’m taking the time to expand on hobbies and establish a healthy lifestyle (eating healthy, working out) before college.
Preparing for college has been a bittersweet experience for me — while I’ll miss my life at home, I’m excited to venture into unknown territory.
Edited by NaTyshca Pickett