You’re finally a Senior in High School and you're planning on going to college. While you're counting down the days to graduation you may be secretly nervous about college. If you're one of those people, here are 15 Tips for High School Seniors going to college.
- Look into as many schools as possible! Don’t just limit yourself to what is nearby, branch out of your comfort zone and look all over the nation for a school you like.
- If you do find a college you like, visit. I can’t stress this enough. You are going to be spending 4 years of your life here so you definitely want to make sure you enjoy the place you will be moving to.
- Start setting aside some money. Not a lot every week but even just $25 a week throughout your senior year can really add up. In college it can be hard to work, especially as a freshman when you are still trying to figure out how college works so having some extra money already saved up can be a big lifesaver.
- Don’t always buy books from your school bookstore! Your college will try to push buying books from your school bookstore A LOT. But unless the textbook or book you need is specific to your college, try looking elsewhere like Chegg or Amazon for used books and even rent them. Slugbooks will compare the price of your textbooks across all major buying sites and will tell you how much they cost new, used and to rent. This website alone has saved me tons.
- Come up with a plan to stay healthy during your first year of college. That meal plan with the unlimited food options may sound enticing but try to choose healthy options and come up with a workout plan, even if it is 2 or 3 times a week to stay healthy during the school year and fight the freshman 15.
- Join clubs freshman year. Unless you are going to be living with your best friend from High School, chances are that you won’t really know your roommate or a lot of people at your college so join some clubs that interest you and that will be a great chance to make new friends with people who have the same interests as you.
- Get involved with clubs that you had no idea even existed! College is a time to explore yourself and your interests so don’t just stick with the familiar. Maybe join an Adventure Club or Movie Club and explore some things that are unfamiliar to you to see what you might like and to know yourself a little bit better.
- Make a study plan for college. Self discipline can be a hard thing but if you know your classes will be demanding, create a study plan and stick with it. That means no distractions (like social media) and focus on getting your assignments done and studying. Trust me. Your future self WILL thank you.
- Look into finding as many scholarships as possible. I am sure this is no new news but college is expensive and you’ll want as much help as possible finding ways to pay for your education and scholarships are the best way! There are tons of websites like Fastweb and even a phone app called Scholly that will match you up with scholarships. All you have to do is follow the rules to apply and you could get money to help pay for your school, textbooks, gas and other needs.
- Just because you are on your own now doesn’t mean that you should neglect your parents. College is finally that taste of freedom that you have been waiting FOREVER for and now that you have it, you may feel like you only need to talk to your parents every once in awhile. But don’t do that. Talk to them everyday, call them, text then, skype them, make every effort to talk to them as much as possible because believe it or not, they do miss you. A lot. It will make them feel so happy to know that you think about them and want to talk to them. After college you’re on your own so cherish your time with your parents while you can.
- Find a way to stay in touch with friends from High School. Chances are your best friends now will be going to different schools but that doesn’t mean that your friendship has to end. Call them, text them and even skype them every once in awhile just to keep in touch and with social media being so big, that probably won’t be a problem.
- Don’t freak out when you find out you might not be able to take your car with you to campus Freshman year. Chances are you are going to a campus where Freshman aren’t allowed to have cars and trust me, that’s totally normal. They do this on purpose so that Freshman can get a real feel for the college that they go to and it forces you to meet new people and really get immersed within your school. I promise you’ll find a way to get around and that it won’t really be that much of an inconvenience for you.
- If you haven’t already, invest in a good laptop. In high school you may have used a school computer a lot or had been given a laptop to use but in college, I can guarantee you that owning your own laptop is a must. Textbooks can be found online (which are cheaper by the way) and most assignments usually require the use of an internet so trust me when I say investing in a good laptop will totally be worth it. Some stores like BestBuy and Apple will even give you a discount just for being a college student (check first though how it works at each store before going in though).
- Find a way to make time for yourself each week whether it be binging on Netflix for an hour or two, reading a book (that’s not assigned for a class), doing your nails or even just taking a nap. College can be busy so be sure not to forget one of the most important things at college. YOU! Even if you are involved in 10 clubs and have demanding courses, you time is a must. If you treat your mind, body and soul right, you can achieve anything!
- ENJOY YOURSELF! You finally finished High School and are on step closer to being where you want to in life. College can be stressful but these can truly be some of the best years of your life if you make them. So enjoy college. Enjoy finding yourself, making new friends, trying new things and discovering who you are.
