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Those four years of high school flew by, right? Well, spoiler alert: college years fly by too…maybe even a little faster. I will be graduating from college soon (screams, shouts and hollers songs of praise) so I know what it’s like to be a young girl heading off to college for the first time. Hopefully, this quick guide will help ease some your anxiousness because honestly, YOU GOT THIS!
Accept That You Are a Little Nervous
Right around the one-month mark before it was time for me to move into the dorms, I was nervous as all get out. What if my roommate and I don’t get along? Will I be able to find my classes on the first day? I’ve never been away from home this long, what the heck am I going to do? These were just some of the questions running through my mind then, and now as I reflect, I have to let out a big LOL.
Guess what? It wasn’t as bad as it seemed. You’re nervous and that’s understandable. You’re about to embark on one of the greatest journeys in your life. Embrace the nerves, anxiety and fears. I had them. Your future roommate will have them. Don’t let it stop you.
Pack Early
Please, I beg of you to pack and shop way ahead of time. As women, we tend to wait until the last minute to pack and then pack too much. But, don’t be me. I did just that, and it sucked. I did a quick Google search of “what to bring to college your freshman year” right after my high school graduation. It helped a lot. You won’t realize how much you need to bring and pack until it’s two days before you have to leave and you can’t see your bedroom floor. Get all of this stuff done early, it’s less stress.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
You’ll learn quickly that college is all about meeting new people, experiencing new things, trying new food, etc. In order for you to fully embrace this, you have to get out of your comfort zone! I am quite the shy and rather quiet person, but I learned that in order to have a great college experience I would have to talk to people I wouldn’t normally talk to, or go to events that I wouldn’t normally go to. Get out there and have fun, but don’t let getting out of your comfort zone mean doing devaluing yourself or simply doing something because everyone else is doing it. Do what YOU want but make sure you’re not stuck in the same routine.
Network, Network and Network Some More
Engrave this word into your brain, you’re going to hear it a lot. You will eventually need an internship and job. Networking allows you to connect with people who will elevate your future endeavors. We all know the saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” well, networking applies here. Start talking to your professors and building a professional relationship with them. Attend career fairs, networking shops, resume classes, etc. Another huge takeaway from college is being able to create meaningful networks.
Last, but not least *drum roll please*…
Stay True to You
Heading off to college especially if you’re going to a big school and you don’t know anyone, you may have the urge to start making friends fast and doing what everyone else is doing. That’s fine but stay true to you. Your squad is a representation of you. Keep in mind how you were raised, stick to your morals, don’t let anyone poorly influence you and think before you act. I see it all the time. Young girls get this first taste of freedom from parents, running far and fast with it. Be you, do you, and everything regarding college will fall into place.
So, are you ready to for college? Good, you should be! It’s going to be some of the best years of your life!
***Oh, it seems like I forgot an important step about heading off to college: stay on top of your classwork. When it’s 2AM and you still have six more pages to write and two chapters to read, you’ll understand why this step was mistakenly left off. End procrastination before it begins.
Hey there! I’m Taylor and I’m navigating through life with natural hair, a love of lifestyle and a passion to encourage!