I’ve been preparing for university in fall and I’ve complied a list of things that must be accomplished or at least thought about before the fall. Some of this is a little late, but hopefully it’ll be insightful.
Side-note: this is purely based on my university I have no idea how yours works.
Application
This is one of those things that I’m a little late on. This should be done the fall before you start classes, so I started mine in August of 2015 for the semester of 2016. Keep in mind there is sometimes an application fee. Also, a tip you might want to consider when applying is calling your admissions counselor and talking to them. Ask them questions, make sure that they know who you are.
Enrollment Fee
This is a downpayment for the attendance in the fall. This separates those who are serious about attending and those who are not.
For my university, once I paid this I was able to chose my dorm and meal plan. Do research on the dorms at your college and double check your choice. I did not; I got the oldest dorm on campus. The bathroom is done in bright pink tile. Learn from my mistakes.
Roommate
Sometime between May and July you’ll receive an email about who your roommate is. My email also told me what dorm room I had. I suggest exchanging cell phone numbers and texting/talking. I suggest both if you can’t meet before the fall semester starts. Here is a great article on what to ask your roommate, for their sanity and yours.
By the way, you don’t have to be friends with your roommate. As long as you can coexist and communicate well, you’ll be fine.
Orientation
Go to the first one. Most universities will have you pick your schedule at orientation. I had already picked mine because I was in the Honor’s College, but most students hadn’t.
Go to everything that makes you mingle with other students. I know we’re all introverts in studyblr, but college will suck if you don’t put yourself out there. Might as well start now. I went to a student mixer and met a lot of girls who lived on my floor. We bonded over the terrible pink bathrooms.
Purchases: Books, Dorm, and Supplies
You’ll have to buy a crap ton of stuff. It sucks and it is expensive, but Pinterest has a lot of cheap alternatives. For dark dorm rooms (like mine) plants and fairy lights are your best friends. So is the dollar store and metallic spray paint.
For books, most of the times the bookstore have a searching function for you to find your class books early in the summer so you can spread out the purchases. I’ve made an excel spreadsheet of the books and prices from legitimate websites (Chegg, Amazon, Redshelf).
For school supplies: buy what you think will keep you motivated. Nothing motivated me more than nice pens and happy sticky notes.
Class Schedules
I got my schedule a few weeks ago and the first thing I did was look my professors up on Rate My Professor. Keep in mind that they are all super biased. When do you review a product? When it sucks. So bear that in mind when reading comments. However this will help determine if you need the book, teaching style, and sometimes if attendance in mandatory.
If you really want to be prepared, figure out what buildings your classes are in with a campus map. Your schedule will tell you their location.
Welcome Week
I don’t know what your university is like but mine has a four day “camp” for incoming freshman. It will probably be really dumb, but I’ll meet people and kayak through the swimming pool apparently? Do it, even if it is dumb because who knows who you will meet!
Relax
You’re a freshman and you know nothing. No one else around you knows anything either. You’ll do great.
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