Question: What are the best tips you can give me as I prepare for college?

Denise: There’s a lot, I’ve created a top 10 list  that covers the spectrum of the college experience for a new student. My answers are also geared to help parents understand what they’ll want to pay attention to as their child starts their college journey.

See Denise’s Facebook Live video on on this subject: https://www.facebook.com/collegeroutemap/videos/832936767073023/

10. Get to know College Food!

Get to know more than just breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many colleges offer brunch and a late night meal. Engage in the ambience of that experience, even if you don’t love the food. Brunch and especially late night meals tend to be incredibly social and what better way to connect with your peers than while you are breaking bread! At some point you will get sick of cafeteria food. However, no matter how sick of it you become, eat it anyway. If you have a meal plan, why spend money elsewhere?  There is a great convenience to eating on campus, and let’s be honest folks…someone to cook for you in a situation where you always have a choice seems like a pretty awesome way to live!

9. Connect with faculty

Faculty basically have all the power! They can make or break your (academic) experience, and let’s be honest here, that’s why you ultimately went to school–for the academics! They control your grades, which means if they see you trying hard, most are willing to step up to help you succeed. However, if you don’t go to class, they won’t know who you are, and if they don’t know who you are, they have no reason to help you help yourself! When they offer office hours–know what they are and go–they are there for you. Ask questions and get to know them. They may one day be the ones you need to write you letters of recommendation, and/or help you find internships and jobs.

8. Become one with your alarm clock

If you are lucky enough that your parents have been waking you up all throughout high school, remember you are a college student now and you should be getting up on on your own. To make this expectation easy…all phones have an alarm clock on them–it’s not like you need any special equipment to be successful in the wake-up department. This will become especially useful when your “little naps” turn into “a good night’s sleep”.

7. Learn to do your own laundry

You may know how to do your own laundry. Even if you do, mom won’t be around to help or answer questions. You may even be among the lucky few whose parents did all your laundry throughout high school. Since mom won’t be there to help once you start college, the summer before is an ideal time to learn how to do more than throw everything in one load and hope the colors don’t bleed. By the way, a hint to doing laundry successfully  in college: do not do all your laundry on Sunday and don’t do all your loads in cold water!

6. You control your records

Throughout your schooling prior to college, your parents could check your grades and at least have some pulse on your academic progress or lack thereof. In college, your parents will not have access to your information like they did in high school even if they pay the bill–unless you grant it to them. You and your folks should decide prior to midterms who should have access.

5. Don’t be the person who knows everything all of the time!

We know you are smart–you have gotten this far. But unless you want to be “that person” who answers all of the questions all of the time and has an example or story to tell every single time, remember there are other smart people in your class and they too want a chance to impress others.

4. Your roommate is not forever

Remember you and your roommate do not need to be best friends. You don’t need to do everything together, and you don’t need to have the same likes and dislikes. However, you do need to have mutual respect so that you can live harmoniously together. If there are things you will or won’t do as a roommate, it is essential that you discuss these early on in your living situation.

3. Utilize Academic Support Services

Academic Support Services has different names on different campuses. Whatever it’s called, locate the office and go. Most services are provided for free or minimal cost and the services will make you better students. These places are not just for students who are failing but for all to do even better. Additionally, these centers usually offer course tutors, writing centers, math labs and soft skills courses such as time management and study skills. Have we mentioned that most of these are offered for free or minimal cost?

2. GET INVOLVED!!!

When I say get involved, I mean GET INVOLVED! I’m not saying do everything. However, I am espousing the benefits of getting involved on campus even if you are not sure if you’ll like the particular club or activity. If you hate the organization, move on and try something else. You’ll never know unless you try and it’s as important to find out what you enjoy as well as what you don’t. Furthermore, there is no better way to meet your peers and research shows students who are actively involved on campus tend to get higher grades and enjoy their collegiate experience more, thus they are also likely to stay in school and subsequently graduate.

1. You Define You

It does NOT matter who you were in high school; an athlete, a nerd, a nobody, somebody’s annoying younger sibling–It just doesn’t matter. You can totally reinvent yourself if you so choose in college. Even if you go to a school where a lot of others from your high school are going, you still get to redefine yourself. If you want to be a good student, now is the time. If you always wanted to try something–now you can! If you want to try a new look, do it! College should be a safe place to experiment and fail within the context of learning what to do differently (better next time). Never will you have such an awesome opportunity for you to define who you are!

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