How to prepare for college during break
Today is Christmas, and you are enjoying your winter break! For many of you, this will be a time for you to refresh, catch up on sleep and have some fun. However, it’s also a great time to catch up on your college planning. I know it doesn’t sound like fun but here’s some good news: you can get ready for college during your time off without cracking a single book open (unless you want to).
Here are some ways to be non-academically productive during the holidays:
Clean out your room and closet: Turn on some music or a good movie and go through your entire room. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit anymore, old notebooks you have no intention of reading again, stacks of magazines and random gifts that you have never used and/or dislike. Empty out your drawers and shelves and reorganize everything. Try to set aside stuff you know you will need for your dorm room (i.e. a shoe rack or storage bins). Not only will you be saving yourself work over the summer, you will be making room for the presents you receive this year!
Crack into your piggy bank: Now is a good time to roll up your change and gather up those loose dollar bills. Yes, this is tedious and is a foolproof way to make bank tellers mad. But you will be surprised how much cash you will collect by rolling up change that has been collecting for who knows how long. Every cent will help when it is time to pay for textbooks. So start checking the couch cushions now.
Pay attention to everything you use in one day: You will be surprised by how much stuff you need to live on your own. It’s not just sheets and a shower caddy. You use dish soap, lamps, rulers, Q-tips, rugs, paperclips, and staples on a regular basis. Start making a list of everything you need now and will need next year. It is never too early to start planning what to pack for your dorm room.
Buy your own groceries: Next year, you will most likely be paying for your school supplies and weekly groceries on your own. You might spend more or less than you expect. Either way, it is a good idea to start creating a budget and to find out what you need each week and how much it will cost to fulfill those needs.
Use these guidelines as a way to prepare for college and as way to take a breather from applications and studying. None of these tips require books or writing. But they are productive ways to spend your winter break.
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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