You’re in! Now what?

Every day after you get home from school, you race to the mailbox to look for an envelope with your name on it. Most days, there are just bills for your parents. But today, as you flip through the stack of letters, your name jumps off a cream colored envelope in the middle of the pile. Your palms start to sweat, your mouth dries up like the Sahara Desert, and your fingers feel like hardened cement as you tear open the crisp envelope.

As you gingerly pull the paper from the envelope, you close your eyes. You’re afraid to look but also afraid not to look. You carefully scan the words on the page and are filled with excitement when you spot what you’ve been waiting for: “You have been accepted.”

You find the closest chair and sit down, overcome with emotions: pride…excitement… and PANIC! What are you supposed to do now? You’re not ready to leave high school yet!

When faced with the prospect of heading off to university for the first time, most students experience these same emotions. Leaving home to embark on an educational journey is a big step in your life. There are a lot of things that you as a new student should do this summer in order to prepare for university life. Here are some.

Avoid the “university grays”
Learn how to do laundry. Within the first few months of university life, most students’ clothes take on an interesting new color: gray. If you’d like your new red sweater to stay a vibrant red, spend some time with mom learning how to properly sort your laundry into whites, darks and colors. You’ll also need to know which water temperature goes with which pile of dirty clothes. Otherwise, you may end up with an odd grayish-pink pair of socks. But hey, they might just go with your gray sweats!

Learn how to cook
If the truth must be known, Kraft dinner was the only meal I could cook when I went to university. There will be days when you must study right through supper—and find yourself starving after the cafeteria has already closed. There will be days when you just don’t feel like making the trek to the cafeteria, but you still need nourishment (chocolate bars, chips and pop are not considered nourishment). So make sure you at least know how to cook a few things on your own.

Get a summer job
You’ve probably spent many summers basking in the sun on the beach, running sand through your toes and getting a great tan. But this summer should be different. You will need spending money when you get to university if you want to go out with your new buddies. So take a couple of days to think about what you would like to do for the summer, dust off your résumé and apply to several places. You may not get the first job that you apply for, but don’t get discouraged. Do some extra babysitting, mow some lawns or wash some cars. There are plenty of opportunities out there to make some money. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky and find a job at the beach!

Learn how to manage a budget
You don’t want to spend all that money you made over the summer in the first week of university. Getting out from under your parents’ roof will be an exhilarating, freeing experience. You’ll spread your wings and enjoy a whole new way of life. But don’t forget that all of those fun parties you’re planning will cost money. And because money doesn’t grow on trees, you’ll need to learn how to budget yours wisely. Ask your parents to show you how to set a realistic budget and for tips on how to stick to it.

When I went to university, my father took care of my money. At the first of every month, he sent me my “allowance” check. It was my responsibility to make that money last the whole month. If you take care of your own money, keep in mind that unexpected things will come up. So be prepared and be flexible!

Make a checklist
As you finish packing up your boxes, you’ll most likely be distracted with last-minute things, such as saying goodbye to friends, running to the mall for supplies and picking up your last paycheque. It’s easy to forget to pack some of the important things. To ensure that you don’t leave out any essentials, make a checklist. Be sure to include:
Shower sandals (You never know who used the shower right before you.)
Extension cords (Just in case.)
Alarm clock (So you don’t miss any classes.)
Quarters (For laundry and emergency phone calls.)
A wall calendar (So you can keep track of all the work you have to do.)

Avoid getting homesick
It might be a long time before you go back home to visit your family and friends, so spend as much time with them over the summer as possible. Put together a photo album to take with you to school. If you’re really ambitious, have double prints made and make two photo albums. Take one with you so that you have something to remember your loved ones by, and leave one home with your family so that they won’t forget what you look like.

Visit the campus before you attend
If at all possible, I recommend visiting the campus you will be attending in the fall. This is your opportunity to explore the campus and locate the places you will need to find in the first few days, such as the bookstore and your classrooms. Admissions counsellors are always pleased to be able to get to know students and often welcome the opportunity to show them around campus. Many universities offer open house opportunities for students to come experience life on campus. If you’re able to visit, call the university to schedule an appointment.  

Purchase a box of tissues
Yes, I know that is an odd suggestion, but it isn’t actually for you. Though this is an exciting time in your life, your parents are going to miss having you around to clean up after and drag out of bed every morning! This is a big change in their lives, too, so be understanding and supportive as you say farewell.

The first few weeks of university will be extra hard on your parents. (That is, after they finish enjoying their long-awaited freedom.) So here’s what I suggest to help them with the transition: Buy a box of tissues, and take the first 10 out of the box. Write your parents 10 short love notes. Fold each note into its own tissue, then put the stack back into the box. As you give your parents your last goodbye hugs, give the box of tissues to your mother (she WILL be crying). You’ll be amazed at how much your parents will cherish those pieces of paper—and your thoughtfulness—for years to come.

There are lots of things that you’ll need to do in order to be prepared for your first year of university. But most of all, don’t forget to have fun over the summer!

Jennifer Marr is public relations coordinator at Atlantic Baptist University in Moncton, New Brunswick.

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