10 Ways to Prepare Yourself for a New Year at College

Going to a new year of college is always exciting, but if you’re not prepared, you may not be able to reach your maximum potential academically. The better prepared you are, the more resources you’ll have, the more confident you’ll feel, and the fewer issues you’ll have to contend with.

What are the most important ways to prepare yourself in anticipation of another year at university?

The Best Ways to Prepare Yourself for a New Year at College

These are the best ways to prepare yourself for a new year at college:

1.     Write a list of goals. Not everyone has the same aspirations or priorities, so before you attend your first class, write a list of goals for yourself. What are the most important things to you in going to college? What kind of grades do you want to get? What kind of job opportunities do you want to explore? How much do you want to mitigate the debt that you take on? How do you want to socialize? With a list of objective goals in place, you’ll have a much easier time making decisions for yourself as this school year progresses.
2.     Get the right backpack. A durable leather backpack should be high on your priority list. A good backpack can make it easier to carry all the things you need for classes, including your books, your laptop, notebooks, folders, and more. You need something comfortable that’s going to keep your possessions safe – and preferably, something stylish as well.
3.     Invest in a good laptop. Speaking of laptops, invest in a good one. Depending on whether you’re going to use this laptop outside of classes, you can probably get by with something basic. However, it might be worth spending some extra money on a powerful CPU, plenty of RAM, and extra hard drive space. Not only will it make you more productive in certain applications, but it will also allow you to use your laptop in different ways beyond school.
4.     Understand your classes and schedule. Make sure you thoroughly understand your classes and your schedule. Some of your days are going to be busier than others, and it’s on you to find time to do all your homework. Wise students spend some time before classes detailing their schedules, setting aside time for readings and homework, and looking ahead on syllabi whenever possible.
5.     Get to know your counselors. There are varying opinions on college counselors, but if you haven’t already, you should at least get to know them. School counselors can help you understand the admissions process, critical prerequisites for success, and the path to academic excellence.
6.     Work on your general life skills. If you’re going to be living away from home for the first time, you should spend some time working on your general life skills as well. Do you know how to cook? Do you know how to do your own laundry? Can you do your own grocery shopping and budgeting? If not, try to get some practice before you leave home.
7.     Visit campus (if you haven’t already). Similarly, you should be acclimated to your learning environment long before you set foot in an actual classroom. Visit your campus and get a tour from someone who knows it well.
8.     Create a system of organization. In college, it’s hard to stay organized, especially if you’re also dealing with living by yourself for the first time. You’ll probably have to juggle multiple classes, lots of homework, personal priorities, home responsibilities, and possibly even a job. If you don’t have a system of organization in place, you’re going to collapse within the first few weeks.
9.     Get your applications in order. Make sure all your paperwork and applications are in order. This might include things like admissions paperwork, financial aid applications, and scholarship paperwork. If you have questions on any of these materials, your university probably has someone on staff who can answer them.
10. Devise a study plan. A good study plan will pay dividends throughout your college career. Hopefully, you’ve already scheduled time to study, based on your existing class schedule. But you also need to come up with a system for how you’re going to consolidate your notes, review information, and prepare for finals. Everyone learns differently, so develop a system that works for you.

Starting on the Right Foot

The school year is long, giving you ample time to reshape your goals, change your strategies, and learn from your mistakes. Don’t be afraid of missing things or making mistakes early on. That said, if you take advantage of some of the preparatory strategies on this list, you’ll likely be ahead of most of your peers when the school year starts.