So now, we’re reaching the next couple of months where all of us figure out where we are going. Good luck to us! But what are some things we ought to know as people going into college, as a pure skills thing. I’ll start out:
Cooking: I'm 99% sure being self sustainable and buying groceries is the healthier way to go, so knowing how to cook is a must.
Laundry: Do your own laundry man, if you don't know how to do all of that by the end of second semester senior year, ur going into college as a manchild
What are other random things - almost like life hacks, except kinda necessary tbh - to know that’ll help us in college? Seniors, what tidbits, tricks, etc. do you know that’ll probably serve us well?
As to cooking-- the need for that will depend on the rules of the school you attend. My daughter’s school mandates that every freshman be on the unlimited meal plan. While each floor of the dorm does have a stove, they’re not used all that much. Most of the “cooking” she does is heating stuff up in the microwave.
What you do need to learn is how to manage:
finances. That debit card is not a golden ticket. It’s full of the money that you (hopefully) earned with a part time job, and will run out if you spend too much. That ATM may carry a $3 fee each time you use it. That credit card can rack up enough debt to seriously impact your future.
freedom. You won't have mommy and daddy or your guidance counselor breathing down your neck to get out of bed and get to that early class, or to get some sleep at night. Teachers won't remind you constantly of upcoming assignments and test. It can be a tough lesson for some.
Personal safety. You've never had to really consider it before, but now it can be a real issue. That encompasses everything from walking alone at night to not ever letting someone else pour you a drink.
Making friends. Most high school seniors have been with at least some of the same kids for a good 12 or 13 years. It's been ages since you've had to make new friends. For many, that's a real tough part about the transition to living at school.
Sharing a bedroom. Many kids have never had to share a bedroom before. It can be an amazing balancing act as you learn to compromise on things you've never even thought about before-- like how much noise you make while getting dressed or how your friends treat the room your in when it contains someone else's stuff.