Well, it finally happened. You graduated from high school and celebrated that milestone like nobody’s business. Now it’s time to get it together and get ready for college! You are entering the phase of your life where you will become the adult version of yourself. Doing that requires shedding parts of your old, high school identity and stepping into your new role as college student. First up . . . handling your business.
What does handling your business the summer before freshman year look like, you ask? It means you are now responsible for things that weren’t part of your high school routine. Right now, it consists of things that are more administrative than academic in nature. I’ll give you three to start:
Check your school email daily. Once you accept enrollment to your school of choice, the emails begin. Your inbox will be flooded with emails from several offices on your campus. Admissions, housing, dining services, new student services, your academic department, student services, etc. Most, if not, all communication will be sent to your school email. Check it at least once, if not twice per day to make sure you are seeing the things that are important and time sensitive.
Check any student portals that your university uses to post the status of various items. If you’re lucky, there is one main student portal and form there you can access you class schedule, housing, dining, etc. However, read all the information from the emails you receive (see #1) and check the portals to make sure everything is going okay. This should be the place to check for final transcripts, housing assignments, meal plan and confirm your class schedule.
Call the appropriate office to ask questions about anything that’s unclear (or unknown). If you already attended orientation, your class schedule is set. If not, you’ll do that when you attend. If you should have classes, but don’t, call your academic advisor. Housing assignments will be posted soon, if they haven’t been already. Call about that. No meal plan on your account? Call the dining office.
Now that you are a college student, all of the communication will be sent to you, not your parent/guardian. You are the adult and the one enrolled at university. This means you’ll have to keep it all straight. One thing that helps is to put important dates in your calendar as they pop up in your email. Submit forms and agreements by deadlines to avoid missing things that can make the difference in your freshman year.
You may feel a little overwhelmed by everything that’s happening and that’s natural. Ask your mom or dad to help you sort through it all, but resist the temptation to let them take over. All the administrative stuff you’re taking care of right now it just the beginning. Making these things part of your routine now will make it easier when you add in your academic and social life in the fall. The same way there's no harm in asking for help now, there will be no harm in asking once you're on campus.
Remember, you can do this. You were admitted to college to thrive and succeed. That success, however, takes some adjustments and new routines. You’re not alone in making the adjustment. There are offices on campus dedicated to freshman success. Faculty and staff can provide advice and feedback when you face uncertainty. Lastly, but not least, Tassel to Tassel exists for the sole purpose of easing the transition to college for you. Use each and every resource available to you. Ask questions. Tweet. Send DMs. Get the information you need, when you need it. We’re all here to keep you #CollegeReady.
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