Many of you are putting the finishing touches on your college applications or will in a couple of weeks. Honestly, after you have sent out your last transcript or recommendation you will feel, well, a little lost. What are you supposed to do with yourself now that you’ve turned in all your applications? After all, waiting for the acceptance or rejection letters can be extremely stressful.
Here are a few ways you can amuse yourself and forget about those letters until February:
1. Do well in your last high school classes.
Yeah, yeah. I know you might think your senior year is for relaxing. However, consider that you are still learning something worthwhile in these last few months and use that knowledge to apply yourself. Try to ace your AP or college-credit classes so you can avoid the freshman history, math and writing courses next year.
2. Get a part time job.
Many stores are hiring extra seasonal help this time of year. I know dealing with crazy, over-caffeinated customers on Black Friday is the last thing you want to do, but the extra cash will come in handy for college expenses. Plus, it will be hard to worry about your applications when you are trying to manage dozens of people who just learned that the season’s must-have-gift is sold-out.
3. Read.
I feel like I mention this point in every blog post, but I cannot tell you enough how this can take you out of your own head. Escape into someone else’s problems and anxieties, and you forget about your own issues for a little bit. Worrying about getting an acceptance letter and a decent financial aid package seems like no big deal when you compare it to Harry saving mankind from Voldemort.
4. Create a holiday gift list.
Yup, I am totally advocating for selfishness right now. Make a list of everything you want/need for college. Posters, furniture, books, clothes, shoes, fancy alarm clocks/iPhone docks, a new TV, a new laptop, etc., etc., etc. You will need new things for your dorm. So take this opportunity to zero-in on your list.
5. Take pictures.
This might sound like a random way to end this list, but trust me on this one. Get pictures of your pets, your family, your friends and anything you will want to look at next year. It’s a nice way to decorate your first dorm room and will help with homesickness. And how will you take all these pictures? Refer to #4 and get a new camera!
This is a weird time: you are between applications and decision time. So take a moment for you and don’t get too stressed out! Use any or all of these tips to distract yourself for the next couple of months.
Written by Rachel Montpelier. Rachel is a senior at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. and is the editorial assistant at NextStepU.
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> For more on what to do when you have done it all, watch this video from NextStepU’s editorial gal, Laura.
