It’s such an exciting time when you are getting ready to head off to college! You want to make sure you’ll have everything you need for your dorm or apartment, from laundry detergent to Ethernet cables. You can shop around all you want, but in order to be fully prepared for your next semester at college you’ll need to master some serious skills. I asked my fellow classmates what they thought were the most important abilities they wished they had learned before heading off to college, and almost all of them replied with these. The top 7 skills we all wished we had learned before we went to college are:
Laundry– If you still rely on your parents to do your laundry every week, you might want to consider getting into the habit of doing it yourself once or twice. Even if you already know how to sort the colors and what detergent to use, it couldn’t hurt to get some practice before you’re on your own. Trust us, you don’t want to mix your favorite red underwear with your white interview blouse!
Ironing-might be more difficult than you think. It’s fine to head off to class in a wrinkled shirt, but you want to be looking completely wrinkle free for that campus job interview. The difference between you and another candidate could be that your clothes look a lot neater!
Using ATM machines-you are going to need cash for movies and date nights, so make sure you know where the closest ATM is for your bank, and how to withdraw money. I walked with my roommate halfway across town to her ATM, only to find out it had closed! Double check all ATM sites before you try to use them.
Cooking-this might not be as important as the other skills on this list simply because you could always get meals at the dining halls. However taking your date out to a restaurant every weekend can get pretty expensive, and nothing is as romantic as a meal you cooked yourself! Find easy recipes online or ask your parents to share their favorites with you and practice them in your kitchen at home.
How to use your computer– this is necessary especially if you get a new laptop for school. The last thing you want to be doing the night before your first paper is due is trying to figure out how to add footnotes.
How to navigate a library– It would be wise to go check out you school’s library during orientation and get a proper tour. Some libraries have a media center for movies or a separate section for their law and medical students. Finding reference books for exam papers is a whole lot easier if you know their location on the shelves. Look up the book online to make sure your library has it before you get there and realize it’s already been checked out.
Stress Management– Adjusting to college life can be difficult! You might get swamped with sorority meetings, exams, and papers. Take some time to breath and relax before you go crazy. Get organized and maintain a healthy study and sleep schedule so that you don’t get too stressed. Join clubs or sports to help you stay loose, or simply call up you parents. And if you desperately need to rewind during the week- you can always read the fun stuff on Her Campus!
You won’t be able to find any of these skills in the aisles at Target or Walmart, so start practicing now and feel totally independent when you head off to college!