If you just got accepted to college, congratulations! Now what? Here are 9 moves you should make to prepare yourself immediately after getting accepted.
Hopefully this article will help you clear your mind and get a better understanding of what’s to come.
But before we start, there are a few things you should note…
Got Accepted to College? Listen Up!
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Getting into college is not easy. Pat yourself on the back… you deserve it!
You should note that this advice is for incoming college freshmen who have chosen their preferred school.
If you’re still deciding between other colleges, or have other potential college acceptance letters on the way, you should wait on making these moves immediately.
Make sure you’re 100% certain of the college you’re going to and have already sent your acceptance agreement back to the school.
With that being said, let’s get into the 9 moves to make after getting accepted to college…
Join Facebook Groups
Joining facebook groups related to your school, campus, and other clubs around the college will help you with a lot of things. Here are a few reasons:
- Connect with incoming students
- Interact with current students
- Find dorm roommates instead of random assignment
- Find clubs of interest
- Join sports groups
- Buy/Sell things you need for cheap
- Get the feel for what’s available on campus
Facebook groups are amazing for colleges. Right when you get accepted, look into everything the campus has to offer.
You’ll be surprised to find out how many facebook groups may be related to your favorite hobby, sport, social cause, study help, and more!
Related Post: 15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting College
Curb Your Expectations
College is HARD! I don’t want to burst your bubble right after you got accepted to college, but it’s the truth and I want you to be prepared.
Not every day will be a blast, filled with parties, fun, and excitement. In fact, most days will be boring, difficult, and stressful.
You’re going to need a real study plan to stay on track and succeed during your college journey. You know what that means… no procrastinating!
Understanding your professors, syllabi, and what they want from you is crucial to succeeding in college. Be prepared with a planner to keep track of your daily schedule, assignments, and other random daily tasks.
Actively study for your exams, spread the workload with friends, and prepare your mind for the real college experience.
Find Outlets Outside of Academics
The break between high school and college is a great time to pick up a hobby that you’re into or held off for the longest time. School takes up time, I get it.
If you don’t have any interests in a hobby, start working on discovering a new one! Do your research, take your time, and follow what you love.
Why do I need to pick up a hobby? To put it into simple terms, a hobby or multiple hobbies will help keep your head balanced.
When the only thing you do in college is study, you’re going to go insane! Having a hobby is one of the greatest things you can do to keep yourself happy, reduce stress, and control your anxiety during college.
Utilizing Facebook groups is an excellent way to find your hobby, sport, social group, etc. This is something you can start doing now to avoid waiting until your college semester actually starts.
Related Post: 7 Ways to Make More Friends in College
Don’t Expect High School
College is not like high school at all. Here are a few things that makes college much different:
- Your freedom is completely yours
- Making friends is REALLY difficult
- Studying and homework is on you to get done
- Your teacher doesn’t care who you are
- Independence might feel new to you
- Your schedule will be different than everyone else
The biggest comparison between all these points is independence. Get your brain used to that feeling now before it shocks you when the semester starts.
With time, you will find your people, your passions, hobbies, and interests. Just don’t expect it to fall into place as soon as you enter the campus.
You’re a freshman now, which you most likely haven’t been in 4 years. The transition won’t be smooth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time.
Prepare Your College Dorm Essentials
Start preparing a list of college dorm essentials to bring with as soon as you get accepted to college. The longer you wait to make this list, the more things you’re going to forget.
Every time you remember something to pack, just add it to the list. Over time you’ll have everything you NEED to head off to college.
Please, do not overpack. If you really need something else when you get to campus, you can easily buy it while you’re there.
The point is to bring the essentials only. You’ll soon realize what you actually need and what you don’t. I made a list of the 10 best college dorm essentials for freshman year to get a head start!
Look Into Clubs and Organizations
Start looking into clubs and organizations early to avoid being behind when freshman year starts.
Doing so will give you an edge on making friends faster, finding passions sooner, and taking advantage of the whole college experience.
If I would’ve known how much this helped, I would’ve had so many more friends.
You won’t like every club, frat, sorority, social group, etc. but there will be at least 1 that you can get behind and expand from there.
For those of you who don’t party too hard or at all, this is a great way for you to socialize with new people without having to go crazy.
Create a Savings Account and Start Budgeting
Listen up! Whether you hate dealing with money or not, please do this one thing for your own sake.
Creating a savings account and ACTUALLY SAVING will help you tremendously throughout college. Start one right now!
Most savings accounts can be started in seconds without having to speak to anyone at all. If you’re already with a bank right now, see what their options are.
If you don’t know where to start, check out the best savings accounts for college students to open right now.
Budgeting will also be your best friend when starting college, so get in the habit of doing it now. If you currently have an income, make a chart of your expenses and see how you divide up your money.
Be sure to leave some cash every month to save or invest for your future. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later!
Related Post: 10 Money Saving Tips for College Students
Look Into Loan Options
Right after you got accepted to college is the perfect time to look into loan options.
If you need a loan before starting college, do your research and take your time to figure out the best interest rate for your needs.
A lot of times, colleges will offer you federal loans to help pay for university. Federal loans usually suck so stay away from them if you can. Their interest rates are way too high compared to loans from private banks such as Discover.
Instead you should accept federal grants if they’re offered to you since grants are essentially free money.
On top of that, look into subsidized loans from private banks. Subsidized loans are loans for undergraduate students that don’t start charging you interest until you’re finished with university.
This will help you make/save money before school is over to actually start paying for the loans when the interest begins accruing.
Keep in mind, there are so many scholarships out there no matter who you are and what you do. You’re almost guaranteed to knock off a few thousand dollars on your college expenses if you do your research.
Enjoy Your Time After Getting Accepted to College
You made it! You’re on your way to some interesting years ahead.
I know some of the things mentioned in this article have seemed stressful or like you’re in a rush. You’ve got time, everything will be okay.
I also know that college probably seems really exciting and I bet you can’t wait, but it’s also really taxing. Your life will have its ups and downs during college.
Take the time between high school and college to really enjoy life. Relax at home, spend time with high school friends, and enjoy the memories.
You won’t get those days back, so make it last while you can. College awaits you on the other end either way. Don’t turn it into a race to start the semester.
After all, if you’re reading this, you’re probably already one step ahead of everyone else in preparation for college.
Extra Reading
- 10 Time Management Tips for Students
- 10 College Hacks Every Freshman Should Know
- 15 Super Useful Websites for College Students
I hope you have a better understanding of what to do now that you got accepted to college. Implement these strategies and you’ll be on your way to a great few years of university.
If you have any more questions, comments, or suggestions, leave them down below! Thanks for reading!
