Get College Ready: Life Skills to Know on Day 1

With graduation just around the corner for so many families, it is important to Get College Ready. This TGlearn summer series provides upcoming college students with all the knowledge they need to set themselves up for success their freshman year.

When most students think of college, they conjure images of professors in lecture halls, manicured dorm rooms, and social events. Many students forget that college is not only a time for exploration, but also for strengthening independence. It is important that students begin working on their self-sufficiency while still at home so they are not left floundering. In this blog, I will provide 5 different areas in which incoming freshmen can practice broadening their independence over the summer.

Laundry

Many incoming freshmen have no experience doing their laundry prior to college. While the rules for doing laundry can seem intuitive to many of us who have been doing it for years, many college students need a lesson in laundry before going off to school. I will include a handful of hard and fast laundry tips and tricks below, but I recommend talking to your college freshman about how to wash their clothes before sending them off.

Separate whites and darks

When washing clothes it is pertinent to separate dark clothing from light clothing. This is because the color from darker clothing can bleed into white clothing and stain them due to the presence of warm water. This happens at least once to most of us and is an absolute pain. Even a single red sock in an all white group of clothes can leave them stained pink permanently.

Temperature

Make sure to wash dark clothing in cold or cool water. Warm water will strip color from dark clothing more quickly, while cool water will help preserve those bright colors. The opposite is true for white clothing as hot water actually helps retain the whiteness in clothes.

Labels

Always make sure to read the label on your clothing item before washing and drying it. Many fabrics (ie: silk, wool, cashmere) require special care when cleaning and can be ruined when washed like normal items. Some items are dry clean only, wash only and hang dry, or wash only in cool water. Make sure to follow these instructions to avoid ruining these clothing items.

Grocery Shopping

While many highschool students have gone grocery shopping solo for snacks and treats, most have little to no experience in putting together a comprehensive grocery list and stocking their fridge and pantry successfully. I have included some easy to follow recommendations for a successful grocery shopping trip below.

Buy quick and healthy snacks

College is a very busy time of your life and you will not have much free time or space to cook elaborate meals. However, it is still important to make sure you are eating healthy food items and not relying on quick snacks like chips or candy to fill up. I recommend easy-access healthy snacks like hummus and pita chips, veggies and taziki dip, bagged salad mixes, and cheese and crackers. These take less than 3 minutes to put together and are filling, hearty options.

Multivitamins

Most college students do not have access to a fully functioning kitchen their freshman year. This means most students are relying on snacks, the school cafeteria, and eating out for their vitamins and minerals. Because most school cafeterias are not known for being delicious, many students will survive on simple foods like fries, burgers, and pizza. While finding a way to get fruits and veggies in on a daily basis is ideal, it is not always possible. Because of this, I recommend having a well-rated multivitamin on hand to supplement your body while finding a way to balance your diet.

Make a list

If you do have a kitchen, I always recommend making a list before going to the grocery store and sticking to it. This means if it is not on the list you do not buy it. It can be easy to spend unnecessary money on appealing snacks and treats when tempted by them at the store. Sticking to your list can help you remember what you came for and not get sidetracked by unnecessary items.

Budgeting

Budgeting is one of the biggest learning curves for many college students. Most students are used to their parents handling the money and are not familiar with how to budget. We recommend parents begin teaching their high schoolers how to budget before college, but we still have a few tips and tricks if you have not been taught.

Separate needs and wants

When thinking about spending at the beginning of the month make two separate lists: needs and wants. The needs list will likely include items like groceries, textbooks, hygiene products, gas, and bills. The wants list will contain more fun items like money for eating out, concert tickets, and new clothes. This way you are not spending money you do not have on items that are not necessities.

It adds up fast

Even though certain wants like a drive-thru milkshake or a coffee from Starbucks does not seem expensive in the moment, little purchases like these add up very quickly. We are not saying to never treat yourself, just make sure you are aware that $5 quickly becomes $50 if you are making the purchase every day.

Routines

While most incoming freshmen are used to having a routine, many are not accustomed to creating and enforcing their own. Most students are used to other people, like parents and teachers, holding them accountable. It is important for students to learn how to create their own routines and stick with them. Using a routine reduces mental load, forgetfulness, stress, and lateness.

Pick a day

One way to create a routine for getting chores and undesirable activities done is to choose a day of the week in which it must be completed. For example, you could decide that Wednesday is when you clean the dorm, Friday is when you do laundry, and Sunday is when you catch up on work. Once you assign chores to specific days make sure you stick with them. Eventually, getting it done on that day will feel natural.

Hygiene

Even students who do not struggle with maintaining good hygiene before college can struggle with it once they get to school. You will be busy, distracted, and eager to participate in new, fun activities. Because of this, simple tasks like maintaining personal hygiene can fall on the wayside.

Set alarms

If you often find yourself forgetting to participate in basic hygiene like brushing your teeth, showering, or washing your face, it can be helpful to set up an alarm. This alarm would go off at times when you need to complete these chores like when you wake up and before bed. This will help remind you to complete them before getting distracted by other things.

Make it enjoyable

It can be easy to see hygiene practices as annoying chores, but a simple reframing can make them far more enjoyable. Try picturing hygiene practices as time for self care and love. Listen to your favorite band or podcast in the shower, or light a candle when you brush your teeth. If you are already taking the time out of your day to do it, make it enjoyable.

-Regan Taylor, Academic Coach