Move-in day is just around the corner, and for many incoming freshmen and transfer students, that means moving out on your own. Being out on your own can be exciting, but also downright terrifying.
For the past eighteen years or so, you've lived under your parents' and/or legal guardian's roof. You've grown accustomed to how things work, from chores to sharing the television remote. But things are about to change.
The first thing you'll notice is going to be that you have a little more responsibility now. For instance, you have to keep your room clean, after all, you're likely going to have a roommate and they won't stand for tripping over your dirty clothes pile.
This leads to another big one–doing your own laundry. This one shouldn't even apply, because it's easy to assume that by now everyone knows how to wash, dry, and fold clothing, but surprisingly, this is not the case. It's no big deal, laundry is a quick skill to acquire.
You're going to have to get used to a new set of rules too. At home, the rules have been, for the most part, unchanged, but now you have to adapt to the rules you and your roommate(s) set. You'll likely be given what's known as a roommate agreement, which outlines how you and your roommate(s) plan to share the space.
As part of these agreements, you will discuss issues such as how late guests can stay over, morning and evening routines, borrowing personal items, and how chores will be divided. While it's supposed to make your living situation easier, it can be difficult if you and your roommate(s) have different preferences. For example, if you're early to bed early to wake and your roommate is nocturnal, you may need to set more specific rules, such as acceptable noise levels at certain times.
You're also going to be in charge of your own grocery shopping, and if you have a meal plan, then you need to be mindful of your spending habits. Yes, it can be tempting to buy those boxes of Pop-Tarts every other week, but at around four dollars a box, that's going to add up pretty fast.
The biggest challenge of all is getting homesick. It probably won't hit you right away, in fact, it may not even hit until after you've moved everything in. It's okay to miss your family and home, after all, up until now, it's all you've known.
If you live close by and can visit every other weekend, then it probably won't be as bad for you, but that doesn't mean you won't miss home a little. Feel free to give your parent(s) and/or legal guardians an extra hug and maybe have a small packet of tissues ready.
