Navigating the College Transition

Moving into college can be both an exciting and scary time. Unsure of what to expect, how to feel, and what to bring can get to be overwhelming. Knowing how to prepare yourself both materially and mentally are extremely important for starting your college life off on the right foot! Now, preparing is not as hard as you may think, and there are so many simple things you can do! I am going to go through the preparation process with you and hold your hand through these steps! You are not alone in this process.

The hardest part for many students leaving for college is the shock and feeling of freedom living on their own. There is no longer anyone telling you when to do things. Soon to be college freshman Emma Pirollo says that “I think I will struggle most with living on my own because this will be my first time away from home for months at a time”. A simple way to ease your mind and prepare for this big change is to remind yourself that everyone is in the same boat! Everyone is facing this new normal and you should never feel alone in this transition. A great way to prepare for the new normal is get involved before you even get to the college by connecting with others who will be attending the same school! Get to know people prior to arriving at college. Another great way to prepare for college is to talk to current students or alumni of the college you are attending. Ask them for advice and/or tips on what they did to prepare, what life is like in college, and what to bring! Being able to receive first-hand information is a great way to get answers to questions you may have. Lastly, the biggest thing when preparing yourself mentally for college is to understand that it is okay to get homesick, and it is nothing to be ashamed of! Experiencing homesickness is a normal thing that so many students experience when transitioning to college life and that is okay!

Preparing yourself materially for college can be just as hard if not harder than preparing mentally. Deciding what to bring and what not to bring can be tough! Knowing what things are essential is key and sometimes the most useful things many students forget! Besides bringing the obvious items like clothes, sheets, toiletries, etc., bringing a planner is one of the most important things to bring with you to college. Time management is a skill that you will need to develop living on your own so having a place to write everything out is extremely useful. You also want to make sure you bring items that you can put in your dorm that will make you feel at home. This could include pictures of friends and family, pillows, throw blankets, and decorations. Some other useful things that you may not have thought about could include an umbrella, tool kit, a fan, and cleaning wipes! These simple things are the top, most overlooked items to bring with you to college but could save you when you least expect it.

While you are prepping for your next adventure in life just know that everything will work out and that each and everything you do will benefit you. Taking some of these steps in preparing yourself mentally and materially will make your college transition a bit easier. A great piece of advice from Ben Murawski who is a current college student is “Don’t be fearful, you will eventually figure everything out and be just fine. Stay focused, make friends, and ask for help when you need it. You are surrounded by people that want to help you!” Taking this next step in your life can be scary but you got this!