I follow a lot of other college bloggers on Twitter who post links to several articles that are useful to me as a college student. During the summer I'm going to be passing some of these along to help out the Class of 2009 as they get ready to start their first year of college. Hopefully some of these tips will help them have a successful year.
This week one of my fellow bloggers posted a link to an article about the 8 things everyone needs to know before they go to college. So, with my commentary, here's the 8 things this blogger believes all people should know before they go to college.
1. Washing: Unless you live really close to your school and take your laundry home every weekend, chances are you'll be doing you're own washing at least once a week. Definitely a skill I recommend that everyone (including you guys out there!) learn. Have mom teach you about the different load sizes, what gets washed in what kind of water & how much detergent you should use per load/load size, what goes in the dryer, how long does it go in the dryer, SORTING LAUNDRY (you don't want your whites turning red!!), different detergent types, dryer sheets...the list goes on. Sit down with mom or dad this summer and have them show you if you're not used to helping out with the family laundry already.
Once you get to school, pick a set day of the week that you have time to wash. I'm not talking about an hour or so, I'm talking 3-4 hours, especially if you have more than one load. The hall I lived in last year had 3 washers/dryers for around 150 girls. If you have to leave your laundry unattended for an extended amount of time, be kind enough to mark it so someone can get ahold of you if it finishes and you're not there to do something with it. Taking clothes out of the washer is one thing, but DON'T put someone elses clothes in a dryer! If you have to take someone's stuff out of a dryer, be kind and fold it for them. The favor will be returned.
2. Driving: I'm probably one of the few who went to college with no license and no car. Not only did I have a fear of cars for the longest time, but I never had a need to drive. Everywhere I needed to go, mom was usually going too, so I could bum a ride with her or get her to take me there. Once I got to college I realized that I have to take myself to get food, or make Wal Mart runs. Luckily, my room mate was pretty understanding and we went to the store about once a week anyway. If you're going to school without a car, at least be able to drive. I'm sure some new friend will let you borrow theirs if you need to.
3. Paying: One of the biggest and probably hardest lessons I learned this year. Mom & Dad aren't going to continue to be there for you to bum money off of so you can hang out with your friends at Sonic or go grab lunch in the Student Center. Learn to budget what little money you do have. Be able to look a few weeks down the road and decide if that late night burger is worth not going to a movie or to listen to that cool new band play. You're the one that will be buying the food that you keep in your room, along with laundry detergent, bathroom items, clothes, movies, games. The price adds up fast, so be able to keep up with it.
4. Cleaning: This wasn't as new to me as it is to a lot of first year college students. I've always had to clean my own room and help out with chores around the house. Just remember that Mom & Dad aren't there to remind you to clean the sink or take out the trash. Even if you think you're room is clean, it really isn't. If you keep it clean throughout the year, when it comes time to do the heavy cleaning most halls require for check out, it won't be nearly as hard. Make your bed, throw out the trash, and dust about once a week. It'll make dorm life for you and your room mate so much smoother.
5. Marketing: College is all about networking. You may be there for the education, but once you have that degree in your hand, you are a commodity that businesses will be looking for. If you've built the right conncections with the right professors, you can easily build your resume. If you don't know how to make a professional looking resume, there are places on campus that will help you.
6. Spending: I didn't get a credit card when I left for school, but I know that's something a lot of parents do for their kids. If you have a credit card, this DOES NOT mean you have unlimited cash in your pocket!! You need to be able to pay the bill every month. Same goes for a debit card. It can sometimes be hard to keep track of your spending when you don't see the cash leave your hands. Most banks have online banking so you can keep up with how much is in your account. Speaking of banking, college is the first time a lot of kids have bank accounts. If you have one or are going to get one, it's a good idea to see what banks are in the area of your school and see if you have a branch of the same bank back home. This helps especially if you're going to school away from home. Mom & Dad can put money in your accont and you can withdraw it at school.
7. Writing: You've used Sparknotes, Cliffnotes, and Wikipedia all through high school and you did ok right? That won't work in college. One, you won't get the material out of any of these "sources" the professors will expect you to have or know. Two, they actually check sources. I learned this lesson the hard way and will not be using Wikipedia in the place of doing actual work ever again. If you do, just use these sites as a guide and not in place of the actual work. They make great study aids.
8. Sharing: Didn't think you would see this on the list did you? Sharing is a huge deal in college. Not only will you be sharing a living space with another person but you'll be sharing a bathroom, laundry room, among other things. Sharing isn't usually the hard part, it's sharing with people you don't know. Make sure your room mate knows what things you are and aren't willing to share. Can he/she use your stapler but not your laptop? It's a huge deal, so go over these things at the very beginning of the year.
All of you that are graduating within the next few weeks, Congratulations! You're getting ready to have some of the best experiences of your life, I wish you the best of luck. If there's anything you want to know about before you leave for school in the fall, leve a comment with the subject and I'll try to give the best advice I can.
Quote to live by: "Live at the bottom even if you're at the top." Jonas Brothers
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