Congratulations to the Class of 2016! You did it! You graduated! Whether you are about to enter an undergraduate program or a graduate program these tips should help you make the summer before your Freshman Year totally awesome.
1. Go On Vacation
College and graduate school is hard. It is something that you have never experienced before. You are definitely going to have to study. So do not waste time in your house or at your apartment. Go on a vacation before you begin your freshman year. It is a great excuse to have a little fun!
2. Meet Up With Your Friends
The friendships that you make in high school or in undergrad can be life long friendships that get you through a lot. Do not forget about each other while preparing for your new life away from familiarity. Take time to go to dinner or to just catch up with a nice sleepover. If all else fails spend a day shopping for your new living space. Your friends make you who you are! So don’t forget about them!
3. Get A Job
School is expensive. It does not matter if you have a full meal plan, sometimes you are going to want something different than the cafeteria. It does not matter if you have a full closet full of clothes, sometimes you are going to want to hit the mall for Jason Wu’s new line. The point is, you need to save up money. Even if you decide to work while you are in school, it is possible that you will not get as great of hours!
4. Shop For Your New Life
This does not mean go buy new friends or drinking buddies. All this means is to prepare that this step in your life is going to be different. Buy a planner, buy a nice chair, buy some art to hang on the walls. You are going to be living a different life and with a different life comes different materials.
5. Find A Hobby
School is a very stressful experience, especially if you become involved in extracurriculars or things off campus. Find something that calms your nerves that is inexpensive and healthy. It could be knitting or doing yoga! Going in with something that you know will be a stress reliever can be a benefit in the long run.
6. Clean Out Your Closet
Why bring all of your clothes to your new place? You know you are not going to wear all of them, plus you know your shopping habits! So if you tend to buy a lot, you can get rid of some of your closet. Truth is, in college you gain a lot of apparel just by being there! Cleaning out your closet can do you some good and potentially put some money in your pocket.
7. Don’t Study
You will have enough time to study and cry over equations once school starts! So just relax and enjoy your summer!
8. Catch Up On Your Shows
School is time consuming and so is watching Netflix. When the semester starts you’re not going to feel it until it is over. You do not want to have wasted time on Netflix and Hulu. So definitely catch up on your shows before you leave for school!
9. Spend Time With Your Family
You don’t know whether you are going to come home a lot or not at all. Do not be hesitant about spending time with the people who annoy you most, your family. You do not know the next time you are going to see them and when you go to college or enter graduate school they are going to take an entire new meaning to your life. So appreciate them while you are with them. Don’t be afraid to sit at are the dinner table and initiate a conversation without your phones.
10. Break Out of Your Shell
Try new things and be open to new adventures and states of mind. Upper level thinking is about taking risks, so you might as well start now. Remember to not become something you are not! Be who you are, but remember to always keep an open mind. Having an open mind could land you free concert tickets or a nice dinner for two! You never know!
