For Incoming College Freshmen

For all those entering college, there are a few things that you should start considering in preparation for the upcoming school year. When going into any new experience, you should start preparing yourself in every way possible for what is soon to come your way. So, I have compiled a list of things for incoming college freshmen to start thinking about in preparation for college. Here we go!

1. If you are going to live away at school, start getting used to the idea of being away from your home for extended periods of time. Does it excite you, scare you, or a combination of both? If you have one of these reactions, start thinking about why you have this reaction, and start envisioning your life in a college dorm. When you start to think about where you will be living, it will indirectly acquaint you with your forthcoming surroundings. This way, when you move in, it will be a little bit less of a daunting experience.

2. Start searching for scholarships and look at your financial aid/scholarship offer from the school. It is important to look into some scholarship, especially ones offered by local organizations, to help pay for your education. Even if the scholarship is smaller and is not applied directly to your bill, you can still use that money to pay for books (which are much more expensive than you think!). Also, make sure that you have accepted your financial aid/scholarship offer from your college, and that any forms that they need signed from you have been submitted. Many schools have an online portal that require a username and password from their students to check on this information, so your log-in ID and password may be sent to you via mail or email with instructions on how to find financial aid information shortly.

3. For those who are living away at school, start looking for things you need for your dorm. At least start looking at bedding online from places like PotteryBarn Dorm, which offers luxurious dorm bedding at reasonable prices, as well as Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. In my experience in shopping for dorm room items, I bought a lot of the basics like a trash can, storage bins, and towels from Target. It seemed like my mom and I were going to Target once a week to buy something for my dorm! In short, I think these sites are great options to start your search for your dorm room needs.

4. If you don't already have a computer to use for college, we are moving into prime season to buy laptops and tablets. Last summer, I bought my laptop over the Fourth of July holiday weekend- there were many sales from top computer brands, some offering free upgrades on certain laptop models. For example, on the laptop I ordered, I received a free upgrade to a 750 GB hard drive, I got antivirus software for half-price, as well getting about $30 off of Microsoft Office Home and Student Suite. If you can wait until Fourth of July weekend to buy your laptop or tablet, believe me, it will be worth it! Also, sign up for Best Buy's College Student deals- all you have to do is enter a valid .edu email address, and they will send coupons directly to your inbox. This is a really helpful tool in saving on all of your college electronics!

5. This one applies to everyone: Start opening up your mind to all the new people you will meet and new experiences you will have. The only way to truly go into college is to have an open mind. Start dreaming of all the wonderful new things you will do, classes you will take, people you will talk to, etc. Prepare yourself for all that is to come your way, and get excited for it!

Well, that's all I have for today! If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hi, feel free to leave me a comment below or tweet me at @universitygirl5. As always, thanks for reading!

-That Helpful University Girl