Pre-College Checklist

So you’ve got the college picked, the funds in place (at least for first semester), your schedule, your advisor, your roommate. You know what to pack and what not to, where you’ll be living, what you’ll be driving (if anything) and exactly what to do.

Well, you probably don’t, if this is your first year. But don’t sweat it; all of it will come easily enough.

But what about now? It’s summertime, and you’ve got three, maybe even four months until college starts, depending on where you go. You may be tempted to just waste the summer having fun with friends and a cutie in a swimsuit/trunks, playing on the beach, or sleeping until two. And given that you’ll probably have a workload this fall much larger than what you’re used to, it wouldn’t be a complete waste.

But there are a few things you should probably do—or at least think about doing—before you head off into the collegiate sunset.

Update your address book. This one might sound simple but a lot of people just don’t do it. You’re going to want everyone’s phone numbers, and those addresses can come in handy for random gifts you may receive throughout the year.

Make sure you have a planner or agenda. Your college may provide one, but if it doesn’t you’ll certainly need it for assignments and appointments.

Connect with your advisor. He or she may be your first friend on campus and can help you a lot. Reach out via email, phone, or a visit—be sure to use his or her office hours to call for an appointment first.

Get to know the area. If you live within distance to do this, it’s a great idea. Grab a map and take off. Try a few of the local eateries while you make your way on foot around campus and around-around campus. Find out where you’re going to be able to buy toilet paper and foodstuffs cheaply (the campus bookstore may have both, but they’ll be super marked-up).

Get a copy of the school manual or undergraduate bulletin. This will tell you just about everything you want to know—from the school’s history to clubs, organizations and Greek life and requirements for your degree.

Take everything you packed, and cut it in half. Seriously, you won’t need all that stuff. But you may want to bring a few mementos, photos, and a couple of your favorite DVDs for when you’re sick or lonely (which will pass soon!).

Double-check your schedule. A lot of first-year students don’t take walking distance into consideration. If your economics class is in Franklin Hall but physics is all the way across campus, you don’t want to schedule them ten minutes apart. Use your map when creating your schedule, and if you have it set already, see if you can get into a later class so you’ll have time to make it.

Get prerequisites out of the way. If you need to have a math refresher course before entering college algebra, you may want to take it over the summer.

Connect with your friends. This could be the last time you see some of them, and most people don’t keep in touch the way they plan to. Enjoy your time with your friends and schedule a visit to each others’ schools if you can, right now, so there’s no excuse down the road.