You walked across the stage, shook the principal’s hand, and you did it – you graduated from high school!! What next? Sleep late, enjoy mom’s cooking and laundry service? Well – that might sound like a good plan but if college is in your immediate future, you might want to rethink that plan. Here are a few items that will make your life MUCH easier once you arrive on campus.
- While the school may have provided you a map, we promise you, those buildings on the map look nothing like that in “real” life. Make the time to go to campus with your schedule in hand and begin by finding at least two “legal” parking lots. Many schools ticket you if you park in faculty or staff parking that has been reserved just for them. While we are talking about parking – make sure you arrive on campus AT LEAST 30 minutes early the first couple of days. Many students wait until the last minute and traffic quickly becomes a gridlock around and on campus.
- Next – go find your classrooms! Literally – from door to door, walk your path. This preparation will make your first day MUCH less stressful.
- While you are on campus, is there any business you need to take care of before school begins? Go to financial aid? Can you pick up your parking tag early or have your school ID made while you are there? Most of these things would have been handled if you attended an orientation session but just in case you did not get it done, now might be the time to take care of those details.
- Next – time to learn to do your own laundry! Yes, we know, you plan to take it home to mom but trust us, there will come a time when you need to do a couple of loads. Learning WITH your mom might save you the embarrasment of a wardrobe dyed pink (or purple or green – whatever color you most do NOT want your laundry to be).
- Our next tip may not sound much fun but we promise, it will pay off in the long run – start getting up ON YOUR OWN – no help from your parents – at the same time that you will need to be getting up for your first class. If you get your body in the habit of waking up at that time, you are less likely to oversleep and miss class.
- Finally – is there summer reading that needs to be done? Do you know what textbooks you will need? If you have some of those books, start reading. The long-run benefit will be huge!
“Adulthood” is here and it is not always easy but a little preparation makes it easier for you to find time to enjoy your newfound role in your family and in the world!