Preparing for college success is one thing, but what about everything before you even arrive at college? Going from the comforts of high school to college can be intimidating, so it’s vital to know how to feel ready for your first year. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are five tips to help you.
Fine Tune Your Skills
You might have excelled at high school, but college is a whole different beast. You may not be the gifted kid anymore and things won't come as naturally as you’re used to. Therefore, it's worth taking some time to fine-tune your skills before heading to college. Finding online tutoring can help you brush up on your basics and even explore new concepts that you expect to face during your time at university. With this, you’ll be well-prepared to handle your new environment.
Learn to Cook
Learning to cook is arguably the most important skill you’ll need before you get to college, especially if you need to live on a budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of cheap, healthy, and easy meals that anyone can prepare, from roast chicken to pasta bakes and much more. Knowing how to cook fresh food rather than ready meals will also teach you more kitchen skills and means you don’t have to rely on takeout or low-quality meals for sustenance. There are only so many 10-cent noodles you can eat, after all.
Visit the Town
Unless you’re staying at home for college, it’s always worth visiting the town and spending a few days there. Not only will this make it easier to get around once you arrive, but it also helps you get a taste of student life and can even get you more excited about the next chapter of your life. You can check out the campus and explore the local stores or even speak to current students if you’re not too shy.
Get to Know Coursemates
While your dorm mate may be a total surprise when you arrive, you can still get to know your coursemates in the weeks and months leading up to starting college. Many colleges have online communities where new students can introduce themselves to each other. It’s always helpful to get to know some people before starting even if they aren’t friends for the rest of your life. You won’t feel so alone during your first day to put you at ease when venturing into unfamiliar territory.
Study the Curriculum
You will learn a lot of new things during the first few weeks at college, so it’s worth having an idea of the curriculum beforehand to ensure you don't get too frazzled. Make a list of your first few assignments and their deadlines and find somewhere to buy cheap textbooks so you can keep on top of the reading. The more effort you put in now, the easier your first weeks will feel.
Prepared
No matter how much you try to prepare for college, you will never feel truly ready, especially if you’re moving across the country. Still, these tips can help you feel a little closer to being ready and should help you take your new experience in your stride for assured college success.
