So you’ve gotten through your first two weeks of college, yay! But there are still a few things you’re missing. (Yes, even after that inevitable Walmart run). But these items can’t be found on those college packing articles titled THE TEN MOST ESSENTIAL ITEMS THAT YOU MUST BUY FOR COLLEGE or BRING THESE THINGS TO COLLEGE OR PERISH YOUR VERY FIRST WEEK! This list is what you really need for college. And the best part is that it’s all free.
A Sense of Adventure
This will be your first extended period of time away from home, and it’s important to take advantage of that. College is the big first step into becoming an adult, a daunting yet exciting prospect. You should embrace everything from the chill professors to the lack of cliques. Homesickness may come and go, but high school gossip will never hurt you.
The Ability to Take Responsibility
Making that long and winding transition to adulthood also involves a lot of paperwork. Paperwork that you now have to fill out yourself. There’s also laundry, dishes, and bathroom cleaning *gasp* that you can’t blackmail your little brother into doing. (“Mom says you have to take the dog for a walk!” “No she didn’t!” “I’ll ask her again, but the subject of who broke the lamp in the living room may come up…” “Where’s the leash?”). Not to mention balancing your checkbook (“Finish these calculations for me, will you?” “I’m seven!”) It’s about time you started managing your own life. It may suck, but living in filth unable to pay your bills is worse.
Social Skills
Believe it or not, there will be other people going to college with you, and they will be sleeping right on the other side of that thin wall, and you will all get sick at the same time. Most colleges have freshmen dorms which means you can all have no idea what you’re doing together, and it will be to your advantage to let this inexperience lead to bonding. You’re away from home, missing your parents and your old friends, but it’s easy enough to create your own little family with these strangers. You only have to speak to them first. (And someone always has to talk first. It might as well be you.) (Also, talk to your professors. They’re really not that scary, and you will need them for actually scary things like grad school. A couple of star recommendations may make up for that summer you’ll spend on the beach instead of at an internship).
Support
This is one thing you can’t get on your own. It’s essential for family and friends to be there for you as you leave home for the first time. (Though this doesn’t mean your mom wants to sleep in that twin bed with you). But there is some pressure on you here as well. It’s important to ask for help when you need it. This can be hard to recognize, but when you start crying over the small things, like missing nail polish or how much you miss your cat, it’s time to call your best friend from high school (who’s going through the same thing) or your mom (who can put Fluffy on Skype). Either way, know that you have people who will love and support you no matter how hysterical you get over your chipping fingernail polish.
A Sense of Purpose
College is scary. And the scariest part is that it’s only a mini version of a much bigger, much scarier adult world. You may have been gunning for that world since before you could spell independence, but actually being there, standing on the precipice of the rest of your life, is scary for everyone. It’s also a challenge. To meet such a challenge (one much bigger than your third grade spelling bee), you must have a sense of purpose. You have to have a goal, an endgame, or at least several small goals. Unfortunately, brains aren’t fully developed until about 26 years of age. And even after that, you may not know what you want to do with your life. But in order to get to the place where you do, you have to purposively commit to that unseeable future. In other words, you may not know what you’re doing yet, but you should be committed to doing it.
These abstract items are all you’ll ever need for college, but good luck finding them at your local Walmart/Target/IKEA (I believe The Ability to Take Responsibility is still on back-order, and the some assembly-required kit for Social Skills is missing several screws). Instead, you really have to come up with these on your own. Luckily, college is all about learning, and you won’t be the only one on your first lesson.
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