The list of things you need to do to prepare for college is extensive. Just to name a few, you’ll have to take the ACT (or SAT), plan a campus visit (or two, or three, or four), and write the perfect college essay. Oh yeah, and follow the best Twitter accounts on how to make the end of high school and beginning of college amazing! And if you aren’t yet an expert on all things Twitter, Her Campus is here to help you out with instructions on how to set up an account and how to stay professional on Twitter first.
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Five Quick Steps To Set Up An Account
- Go to Twitter.com, and on the Twitter homepage is a graphic where you type in your full name, email and password.
- Once you’ve entered your information, it’ll take you to a new page where you’ll see everything you just typed in. It will give you a username, but you can change it if you’d like. Remember to keep your username classy, so QTWithABooty75 isn’t an option. You may want to include your name in your Twitter username to allow other users to find your account more easily.
- Hit “Create Account” for your official entrance into the world of tweeting! Now click “Profile” and then “Edit Profile” to make your profile more personable. This will be what people will see when they click on your Twitter.
- Make your profile picture one that you’d be comfortable with friends and family seeing (as well as potential employers) and be mindful of your online presence as you type in your bio, too.
- Under “What’s Happening?” you can tweet to the world! To tag someone in a post use the @ symbol, and if you want to follow someone just click on their profile and the follow button on the righthand side.
If you want to know more about Twitter, check out how to get the most out of your tweeting and how to tweet your way to an internship! Now onto the best Twitter accounts around:
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Everything You Need To Know
These accounts are an all-around college information resource, so pay attention ladies!
@17College
“Think you know everything you need to know about freshman year? Think again! Read @campaliyyah’s myths about #college http://ow.ly/57QAl
Seventeen magazine picked fifteen girls to document their freshman year of college, so you can benefit from their tips and tricks as you prepare for your first year away from home! They tweet whenever one of the girls has a new blog post, ranging from dining hall secrets to dealing with roommate drama.
@USATODAYcollege
“Students on the #Columbia campus in uproar over visit from Iranian president – http://usat.ly”
USA Today College’s Twitter account is more than just college rankings and stats. They have a ton of informative articles about what’s going on at individual campuses, including protests and tuition changes.
@HuffPostCollege
“Groundbreaking study from @insidehighered reveals that a student’s means do, in fact, matter in college admissions http://bit.ly”
HuffPost College is one of the top Twitter accounts for college news. Follow their account to stay up-to-date on the news that will affect your future as a college student.
@CollegeProwler
“College Tip: Put ALL of ur change in a jar. It’s hard to save money in school, but loose change will add up & u can cash it in end of year!”
College Prowler started out by offering individual students comprehensive guidebooks on their schools, and now covers almost 7000 schools. They tweet about a ton of scholarship opportunities, college essay admission advice, and offer advice from students!
@HerCampus
“Check out our new article on how to write the perfect college admissions essay WITHOUT losing your mind! http://ow.ly/6vHXl”
Okay pre-collegiettes™, how are you not following us by now? We are the number one online magazine for college women. Get with the program, girl!
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College Culture
College is often described as an entirely different world, so stay on top of your news, gossip, fashion and culture with these interesting accounts.
@Jezebel
“Study Says Confronting Men About Sexism Makes Them Nicer http://jezebel.com/5”
If you’re a feminist in the making, follow Jezebel to stay up-to-date on news that affects women worldwide, and feel like a smartypants when you have something to say in your first Women’s Studies class!
@CFashionista
“Looks like geek chic glasses are still a major trend around campus this fall. Style Gurus thoughts?”
If you’re nervous about what to wear at college, CFashionista’s friendly tweets give you the inside scoop on the cutest stuff! CF also has an awesome street style feature, which is a great way to check out what the girls on your potential campus might be wearing.
@dailycandy
“Let the record show that we’re already very excited for Leo’s Hoover transformation (c/o Clint Eastwood) in Nov. http://dly.me/6”
Daily Candy not only gives you the fun Hollywood gossip you’ve been craving, but also lets you in on great beauty and fashion deals!
@CollegeHumor
“The 100 Worst Nicknames To Pick Up During Orientation Week – http://bit.ly”
Full of goofy tweets on everything from professors to pop culture, College Humor shows you what college students are laughing about day to day.
@CollegeBlender
“How To Build The Ultimate Hanging Loft Bed [College Info Geek]: Back in May, I put up a cool little t… http://cblend.it/i9991 #college”
College Blender gives you an unfiltered look at campus life from all across the country, and their tweets offer that coveted info you thought you would only be able to get after freshman year.
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School Preparation
If you can’t get enough info on how to prepare for both inside and outside the college classroom, following these Twitter accounts will help you in the long run.
@tomwhitby
“Doing More with Less (and Other Practical Educational Technology Tidbits) http://zite.to/oISYsr #Edchat”
A professor at St. Joseph’s College in New York, Tom Whitby has been recognized with the EduBlog award for the Most Influential Twitter Series, Edchat. Follow him to see how technology has become intertwined with learning college classrooms.
@ThePrincetonRev
“Don’t buy into the myths… we’re putting some major #SAT myths to rest http://ow.ly/66SMq #princetonreview #college”
The ultimate source in college test prep, if you want tips on how to ace the SATs and ACTs, The Princeton Review Twitter doesn’t disappoint! Not only that, but they also offer deals on study groups and prep guides!
@UniversityVisit
“More college officials learn about applicants from Facebook: The number of college admissions officials using F… http://usat.ly”
University Visitors is all about providing prospective students insight into colleges across the country, ranging from culture to academics to athletics. Follow them to find tweets about articles that directly affect college students at individual schools and across the country.
@DoSomething
“How to dedicate your school homecoming to the troops: http://dsorg.us”
If you’re ready to change the world after graduation (or even want to get a head start!) DoSomething is for you, up-and-coming activist. They tweet about worldwide issues every day, and offer tons of opportunities to get involved with similar organizations.
@MngCollegeCost
“All seminars on www.managingcollegecost.com are free! #students and #parents never too early to get tips on paying for #college”
Are you already feeling overwhelmed by the cost of college? Grab a glass of water, a Tylenol, and check Managing College Cost for helpful video seminars on the best way to prepare financially as well as tips on how to save throughout your college career.
@Uniqo
“@NNARO10 Good luck on your search today! Check out our free univ data to help make your decision easier :) http://unigo.com”
Run by college counselors and college students, Unigo is an invaluable resource with reviews of colleges across the country. Tweet them a question!
@nytimescollege
“Calculating the Potential Return on Your Major http://nyti.ms/kl3YxN”
The New York Times college-themed blog “The Choice” tweets regularly with informative NYT articles about college.
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Lifestyle
It’s easy to feel run down in college (and the months leading up to it), so take care of your body and mind with these Twitter accounts engineered to help you feel your best.
@MAXUFitness
“How to Avoid the ‘Freshman 15’: Tips from The Nutrition Twins maxufitness.com/archives/1930”
Wondering about how you’ll keep off the dreaded freshmen weight gain? Stay in shape with tips from Karen Jashinsky, a college fitness expert who specializes in keeping college girls healthy and fit!
@DormRoomDiet
“@DaphneOz recommendations on “Easy Diets for College Students” http://bit.ly/bQ8r5V”
Don’t let dining hall food scare you; Dorm Room Diet offers helpful tips on what to avoid and what foods to will keep you healthy and happy during your freshman year.
@thecollegecrush
“We shouldn’t look for a man to solve our problems, just find a man that doesn’t let us face them alone.”
Don’t think we forgot about your heart! If you’re wondering what to do with that high school boyfriend of yours, or how to navigate the dating scene of college, College Crush offers cheeky yet practical advice for your new love life.
What other Twitter accounts do you love to follow? Leave a comment!