You come in to college not knowing what to expect. So here is a list to help you be more prepared for your first semester or your last and anything in between.
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You need 3 things to drink out of, max.
Nowadays, people tend to have a plethora of water bottles. In college, you only need to bring one. If you bring more water bottles, you’ll discover that they just take up space and gather dust. However, bringing something to drink out of that will not have water is okay. For example, this means that you can bring a mug or a thermos, whatever you plan on drinking hot liquids out of. This leads to one more cup to bring for miscellaneous. There is no need to bring multiple water bottles, mugs, cups or anything to drink out of to college. You will find yourself using one most of the time and wish that you left the other ones at home.
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Just get one of everything for yourself.
To repeat what was previously mentioned, you only need one of some things. Yes, this does not apply to clothes. You will need more than one bra when you come to college. This is in terms of bowls, plates and silverware. One of each will suffice since you only need to be taking care of one person. If you end up bringing more, you will probably notice that you keep going back to the same one.
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No one cares about decorative pillows.
The summer before freshman year, all my friends and I could do was talk about how our room was going to be decorated. While it is important to create a homey atmosphere, you do not need to go overboard. I can not tell you how many hours I spent picking out the pillows that were going on bed. Now, I never make my bed and my pillows just stay on the ground most days. Even if I do have my bed made, no one notices my pillows or cares about them. Purely get pillows or things for your bed that you will actually use, not just as a decoration.
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It does not matter if you and your roommate match colors.
Again, can not explain how many times I would text my roommate before buying something that was mine, but going in our room. If it is your stuff, you make the decision. You do not need your roommates approval before buying anything because it does not make a difference what she thinks. In the long run or in the moment, it is not going to matter that you two had matching bedspreads. Just buy what you want and go from there.
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You have to clean up after yourself.
This is just a matter of being respectful. Definitely clean up after yourself if you make a mess, but also take turns with your roommate to clean things you both use. This means taking turns and not leaving your roommate to do everything.
6. Rate My Professor is key.
This helped me so much in my first semester of college. I looked at it just to see what my teachers were like, but I gained a lot more from it. It gives you a preview of what your classes will be like as well as some of the teacher’s personal policies. The best part was that most of the reviews ended up being right about my professors. This is a great way to be prepared for what is to come.
7. Buy books after syllabus week.
My first semester of college, I bought all of my books before I got to school. Because of this, I ended up buying a lot of books I did not end up using. To save money and time, wait to buy your books until the professor tells you in your first class.
8. You have way more time than you think
Do not get me wrong, college is hectic. It is a whole new ballgame, but you have way more time than you think. Most days, you will probably have around three hours of class. Yes you have to factor in some time for homework, but the rest of the day is yours. This is why it is important to get involved on campus to eat up some of that time.
9. High school time vs college time
When I scheduled my classes in the summer before my first semester, a 9 am class seemed like no big deal. I used to wake up at 6:30 in the morning for high school, 9am should be easy. Well it is not. High school time varies so much from college time. In high school, if I got to sleep in till 8 am I would be jumping for joy. But if I had to wake up at 8 am in college, it would be a chore. It sounds silly, but you will believe when you experience it.
10. Get involved!
This is a bit cliché and we have heard our moms say it a million times, but get involved! There are so many things to do on every campus. You like to knit? There is a club for that. You like to bake? There is a club for that. Keep in touch with your hobbies while you are away at school and meet some new friends along the way.