Have you just been accepted to go to college? Congratulations! Your hard work has paid off and now you are going to be starting a new and exciting chapter in your life. There is lots to prepare before heading off to college and you will want to ensure that this transition is as smooth as it possibly can be.
Here, we are taking you through our checklist of things that you need to do in the summer before starting college.
Accommodation
One of the first things that you will need to do before starting college is find yourself the right accommodation. Most new students will opt to stay in the halls provided by the college as they tend to be the safest and it is a fantastic way to get to know new people.
However, you do also have the option of staying off-campus too. Halls will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so make sure you don’t leave it too long to organise this!
Finances
After sorting out your accommodation, the next thing on your list should be to get your finances in order. Although this is not the most exciting task, it is a crucial one.
Setting up a student checking account is easy to do, won’t take you long and you will get to enjoy loads of great benefits from it. You will also need to make sure that if you are eligible for funding that this is sorted before you start your course.
Packing
For the majority of students starting college, this will be the first time that they are living away from home and so you will need to make sure that you have all the living equipment that you need.
However, before you start shopping it is a good idea to see what is already provided in your accommodation as there is no point in spending money doubling up on items. You should also check how much storage you are going to have, as you don’t want to take lots of thing with you if you don’t have the space to keep it.
We would also recommend that you look into getting insurance for some of the pricier electrical items that you will be taking such as tablets, laptops and mobile phones, so you don’t have to worry about these things during your time at college when money will be tight.
Explore the Area
The college and city that you are moving to will be your new home for the next three, four or five years and so it is important that you make sure this is the right place for you and that it will feel like home.
In your spare time over the summer, you should explore the area and find out key information such as what the public transport is like, where the nearest doctor is and take a look around the campus at the library, lecture buildings and union.
