Congratulations! You made it into your top college and you are now among some of the countries higher level thinkers who are pursuing their education and earning degrees. You may think there’s time to rest over the summer months but there is still so much to plan for before stepping foot on your campus.
1. Get a copy of your birth certificate and social security card. You will need a copies of this for forms during college, applying for a job, and more. Memorize your social security number so you
2. Purchase items for your dorm. This is the most exciting part of college preparation (for me it was anyways!). Your dorm is your little place of independence and home over the next few months and you want it to feel cozy and reflect you.
3. Figure out how you’re going to support yourself financially for the first semester. This can become a major distraction for college students because you want to go out with friends, shop, eat, shop some more, order more pizza and you need money to do it! Whether it’s a part-time job, work study, or taking our additional loan money (which should be your very last resort) find out how to NOT call back home to mom and dad and beg for money. To learn more about covering tuition and applying for financial aid through FAFSA please visit http://www.bestschools.com/fafsa/
4. Purchase staple pieces for your closet. As you mature so should your wardrobe. So you may need to go shopping. Ladies should have a white button down blouse, black dress pants, black pencil skirt, black pumps, watch, briefcase, and a trench coat. Guys should have a white button down shirt, tie, black dress pants, black dress shoes, watch, and a briefcase. You’ll need these for professional events, job interviews, and networking opportunities on and off campus.
5. Polish up your resume. You should have some kind of job or volunteer experience which is going to land you the part-time job you need to be successful your first year of college. If not use the summer to gain that experience. Either way check out online resources to help build a better resume.
6. Spend time with your family. No matter how much fun you think college is going to be (and it will be) you’re going to miss your family and friends from home. Yes you can always go back as often as you’d like but it may not be until Thanksgiving or Christmas break. Spend time with the people you love and be sure to take LOTS of photos to look back on often.
7. Get on LinkedIn. You might be a social media butterfly but now it’s time to start sharing something more than selfies and funny movie quotes. LinkedIn provides social media connections with professionals. Your profile picture should be professional and you should post and share content related to your future profession. This is also a great way to get connected with your future employers.
8. Apply for a prepaid debit card. This is the simplest way for parents and family to send you money and for you to manage your money. The greatest benefit is that you can’t overdraft your account.
9. Get a new email address. Email addresses like “caramelcutie” and “iliketoturnup” are not going to cut it in college. Change your email to something new like firstnamelastname@gmail.com