How to Prepare for Living at College
Each year, for parents across the country, it is a sad day as their children are swept off and away to college. The child turns to walk away…a little grin appears on their face. They are about to become independent! This is a wonderful time for many of us, but the problem is actually LIVING on your own. Many students entertain the idea of living alone, but in many cases, do not prepare and it can become quite difficult at first. That is, if you don’t feel like eating fast food every single night and more.
Being on your own means you are in charge of your expenses, job, homework, school deadlines and more. After time, it becomes much easier…and quite enjoyable!
As far as food, try to keep a smaller fridge and freezer in your room to keep frozen items and such just for the week as you satisfy those late night cravings. Also, a microwave would be a great idea.
Make sure there is laundry detergent and other laundry tools as the laundry pile really piles high very quickly when mom is not around. That is one of the first major things new independents will notice.
Be sure to have all of your credit card information changed to the proper address. You don’t need any of those outlaw bills that just knock out your credit. Be sure you are on it as these are the years that really start your credit rating days. And without decent credit your life after college may not be so easy as it may seem NOW.
Remember to protect yourself from thieves in your dorm. Keep all your identifying information and credit cards and such in a hidden place while keeping your door locked at all times. I know this may seem a bit paranoid, but many students find items disappearing as they keep their doors open often and/or unlocked. You may not notice, but the one in your dorm a few doors down who would like to have some of you stuff certainly does.
Staying healthy in college is very important as well. If a person comes down with a flu that keeps them bedridden for weeks, then there may be a bit of difficulty in the lines of passing that chemistry class and labs that semester. Take advantage of your health center if you feel ill.
Be sure to bring plenty of warm clothes in case it gets cold and you have to walk through the freezing cold I n the morning for that 8am class. Trudging through the cold in your lightweight shirt and a pair of slacks just isn’t going to keep your body warm enough for long.
Before heading off to college, think about your living situation and what sort of decorative items you would like to have, as well as any roommate questions you may have. Getting along with your roommate can be an essential to surviving that first year. You will both be in close quarters so make sure you have some sort of a setup for the dorm ready. Follow these tips and more at our website and you will find yourself having a much more enjoyable experience than some of the others in college and your dorm who didn’t even think about what to do once they got there.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
I wanted to tell me if national college was a good ...
By: bigmand32 | 22-07-2008
i wanted to tell me if national college was a good place intend school.
Looking for the soils report/boring logs for The ...
By: Jeff Pease | 22-07-2008
looking for the soils report/boring logs for The Grossmont College Health Physical Sciences District
Pacing calendar
By: dleeodahl | 22-07-2008
Is there a month pacing calendar for Literacy and Writing that can be found online or purchaed? I have the writing and reading curriculum, but I have new teachers that don't know and have never used curriculum. I need something that I can give to them that will guide them weekly.
DC
Really nice young man looking for room/board for Wharton College in Texas, Can you help?
By: room and board needed | 21-07-2008
A young man, age 18, is looking for room and board for area close to Wharton College in Texas. Parents can not pay. He works small part time job. Would pay cheap rent for a single room, just needs to be able to shower, and prepare for classes. May even be able to help with chores around the home. He's a good, honest kid that wants to succeed in life. Can anyone help him?
Independent college advisor
By: Jill A. | 21-07-2008
Can anyone recommend a legitimate and professional independent college advisor in New York City? The goal would be to help my 18 year old son, who is taking a year off between HS graduation and college.
Thank you. jitylu@aol.com
Looking for alumni from College of Osteopathic ...
By: lgrrpmg1 | 20-07-2008
Looking for alumni from College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons class of 1959
Q&A Powered by:
More from S. Michael Windsor
Home Brewing Ingredients and Why They are so Important
By: S. Michael Windsor | 11/04/2008 | Food and Beverage
Home brewing beer can be quite a fun and educational process. Although there are many different ways a home brewer can make his or her home brewed beer, there are some essential ingredients which must be included at all times when homebrewing.
Basic Overview of Home Beer Brewing
By: S. Michael Windsor | 07/04/2008 | Wines and Spirits
Home brewing beer as complex as it may seem, is not as complicated as you may think. The process of home brewing your own beer is basically broken down in a minimal amount of steps in contrast to the seemingly intimidating steps that many advanced home brewers prefer to take.
How to Improve Your College Admissions Essay
By: S. Michael Windsor | 01/04/2008 | College and University
The college admissions essay can be quite a daunting and intimidating task for many aspiring college students. However, the college admissions essay does not have to be so bad.
Obtaining a College Degree Online
By: S. Michael Windsor | 31/03/2008 | College and University
When considering obtaining a college degree online, there are many things that will be quite different than that of taking classes inside a classroom on campus and more.
Tips on Cooking in the Dorm Room
By: S. Michael Windsor | 28/03/2008 | College and University
For many students, especially freshmen in college, living in the dorm can be quite a change from what a student is normally used to. And as for meals, in many cases, you are at the mercy of the dorm cafeteria hours and whatever restaurant is open when you want it. The problem with the dorms is that there is obviously no kitchen in your dorm room in most cases and many students don’t have a car at first. So what is a person to do?
Tips on Preparing Your Dorm Room Stuff & Meeting Your Dorm Mate
By: S. Michael Windsor | 27/03/2008 | College and University
When first arriving at college and first walking into the barren dorm room, new students may realize that they still have a lot of shopping to do in order to decorate those blank walls and actually DO something with the place. Sometimes this task may even take a lot of the year and then by the end…it’s time to take everything down. Better preparation is the key.
About College Scholarships and Grants
By: S. Michael Windsor | 24/03/2008 | College and University
Some of the best ways to pay for a college education is by focusing on either scholarships or grants. With college scholarships and grants, none of the money has to be repaid, in contrast to Federal student loans as well as private loans.
College Student Loans : Federal and Private Loans
By: S. Michael Windsor | 19/03/2008 | Loans
When a student or parent sets out to obtain a loan and/or financing a college education there are a many different sources they can go to in order to acquire the funding necessary. However, there are two different categories of loans which are either federal loans or private loans.
Education 
