Getting Mentally Prepared

As your first college days get closer and closer, you review your checklist over and over again. Extra-long twin sheets? Check! Textbooks? Check! It seems you are all prepared. But how to you know that you are mentally prepared for the big transition? Nobody seemed to have given out a checklist for that one.

College is so immeasurably different than high school. Being a college student is looked at as having a job. While you may only be spending fifteen hours in the classroom, you will definitely be putting in at least forty hours a week- just like a full-time job. Typically, students will tell you for every hour in the classroom, count on two to three hours of studying outside of the classroom. 15 x 3 + Finals?!? That adds up really quickly!

A great way to mentally prepare yourself for this adjustment is to set your habits early. Many studies have shown that students will set their habits for the entire year in just the first two weeks of class. This can be challenging because things haven’t fully picked up speed in the first two-weeks, but we have to practice self-discipline to set those good habits. For example, if you review your lecture notes first thing after class every day, that will most likely be the habit you set and the routine you follow for the rest of the year. BUT… if you party every night and are cutting class in the first few weeks, well… be ready for a reality check come grades.

Another way to mentally prepare yourself for the new independence that college brings is to force yourself to become immersed in life on campus. With this, you have to know yourself and how you function best.  If you know that you get bored easily and always seem to have too much free time, join a club! If you tend to spread yourself too thin and get over involved, maybe limit yourself to only a few extra-curricular activities. Also, try to resist the temptation to go home every chance you get. It’s really easily to be swayed towards mom’s home cooking, free laundry, and a community that you have so many memories in, but it makes the transition so much harder. It’s tough to connect to your new life at college if you’re running away from it every chance you get. Try giving yourself at least a month of life at college before going home on the weekend. Soon enough you will begin to feel connected and form a support network of friends on campus.

Once you’re mentally prepared, you’re ready to rock & roll!

Dara Anderson

College Advisor Assistant

Summer Fun....

Wow...can you believe July 4th has came and went already, and for so many of us school is right around the corner; whether you are returning back to high school for your final year(s) or heading off to COLLEGE! =)

For those of you continuing life in high school, it’s very important you keep a focus on life after high school; especially those entering your senior year! Summer is a great time to do a little research on careers and college that fit your interests. Be organized, and the best way to do that is to create a folder or notebook with this information, so you can refer back to it at any time. Among the research and summer fun, visit those colleges that interest you, so you can get a better idea of the campus lifestyle and culture. Also, for those soon to be seniors, create a timeline or calendar for the upcoming year with important dates and deadlines of admissions applications, scholarships, and financial aid that you can easily hang on the refrigerator, and not miss a deadline! And last, be sure to enjoy your summer with friends and family!

High school graduates, life is taking you on your next adventure now, COLLEGE! At this point in the summer, you should have requested your final high school transcript to be sent to the college you will be attending in the fall. Without that transcript, your admissions may be revoked! So do that as soon as possible if you haven’t already. It might also be a good idea to finalize with your college of choice that all paperwork is complete and forms have been processed. To start, if you are living on campus, make sure your housing contract is in, your financial aid information has been processed, and the organizations that funded your scholarships have the information of the college you will be attending, so they can send the check. It would be a sad day to show up on your first day of college only to realize you didn’t complete all financial aid paperwork, and nothing was processed, leaving you no way to pay your tuition!

With that said, the most important item on your summer check list is to enjoy the last few months of summer doing what you like best with your family, and friends!

**Faith Helton

WyCAC