Once the applications are in and you have received your acceptance letters, you can breath a sigh of relief. Take some time to relax and celebrate your accomplishment. Then, get ready for college! Getting ready for college means more than buying cute dorm room accents and textbooks. College is a whole new realm and being successful takes some mental preparation.
Say Goodbyes
Part of ending your time at high school is saying goodbye. You don’t have to say goodbye forever and you will certainly see your friends again, but it is likely that you won’t have as close of contact as you did when you went to school together every day. Saying goodbye well will leave you open to new friendships. There will be so many people to meet at college and new bonds formed there. Excellent goodbyes will leave you ready and open for many new hellos!
Join a Group
The first weeks of college every club and organization will be recruiting. Check them all out. The best way to meet new people and hone your interests is to get involved with a group. There are religious groups, professional groups, sports clubs, social activist clubs; there is a group for just about anything you can think of. Take advantage of meet and greets and other opportunities to find out more about your options. You can even look at your university’s website ahead of time to find out which organizations might interest you. An active social calendar will help take the edge off of living away from home. Getting involved will also create an important network of friends and colleagues that will be helpful throughout your life.
Try New Things
Whether or not you have a major in mind, try to register for a class that piques your interest, even though you may not have had other experience with it. Many classes will fit some kind of requirement, even if it is just an elective. You may discover a career path you never thought possible. If you are feeling lost about a major, talk to a career counselor to see if you can explore your interests without taking credits that won’t count for anything. Many students waste credits and tuition money exploring their options. When you make a plan before you arrive you can take exploratory classes and still graduate in four years.
College is a time of discovery. You will learn more about yourself, make lifelong friends, and discover more options for careers. Prepare yourself to start taking advantage of all the opportunities that will be open to you.
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