There are a ton of posts of things to do before starting your freshman year of college. In fact, I even have one which you can find here (subtle promo, right?). Starting college is a huge life change and it’s crazy and blah blah blah stereotypical garbage, we all know how major college is. While everyone is probably telling you things you should do or ways to get ready for college, there’s probably not enough people telling you not to do things. I’m here to burst your bubble in a nice, advice-giving sort of way. A college student stranger on the Internet with a domain name and a fancy post graphic is totally qualified to give you advice, right?
For every thing you should do before starting college there’s definitely a thing you shouldn’t do and without further ado, here they are.
1. Indulge in tons of shopping sprees.
You’re going to want to save your money so you have extra spending money when you get to college. Blowing through your funds to buy a whole new wardrobe to “reinvent’ yourself instead of being savvy and buying just the college wardrobe essentials can be a bad idea. If you do plan on shopping quite a bit the summer before college, set aside some money that you’ll bring with you for college that is off limits for summer shopping sprees. Also follow as many money saving shopping tips as humanly possible.
2. Start a new, intense romance.
You’re starting a whole new chapter in your life and with so much stuff about to happen and so many new people to meet, starting a relationship this summer isn’t always the wisest move. On that note, I’m a firm believer in just seeing where things go and if you find someone you genuinely have a connection with and see a relationship going somewhere with them, don’t let the idea of going off to college hold you back. Just don’t go out of your way to seek out a new boyfriend/girlfriend this summer. You’ve got plenty of other things to focus on.
3. Reinvent yourself entirely.
A lot of us see college as a chance to reinvent ourselves. It’s a chance to go where no one really knows you, right? That is true but trying to become someone you aren’t over the summer just to be cooler and different in college is a bad move. Self-improvement is awesome and maybe changing a few things can be good, but don’t try to become an entirely new person before college.
4. Buy the entirety of Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond’s dorm checklist.
Like I’ve said, there are a ton of things you don’t actually need to buy for college. Save your space, time and money and avoid these things. It’s tempting to buy the entire dorm section in Target, I know, I’ve done it myself and regretted it, but realize how much you probably don’t need most of those things. Think about all of the other wonderful things you could be spending your money on!
5. Tarnish your social media reputation.
Try to stray from posting radical, offensive, overly political and overly religious things. There’s a high chance that all of your fellow incoming freshmen will be checking out your social media. I mean, it is your social media but just be aware of what you put out into the world and how you appear to those who don’t know you on a personal level. People make intense first impressions and are quick to judge. Just be cautious, like always, of what you’re posting online. Also, don’t post anything disgustingly offensive–just because you got into a college doesn’t mean you can’t get kicked out or lose a scholarship.
6. Buy all of your textbooks.
You might not need all of them. Wait until you get to class because sometimes professors change their minds or suggest cheaper ways to obtain the books. A lot of textbooks I bought in advance ended up never being used. Save yourself the money and stress and wait. I promise that 99% of professors don’t expect you to have the textbook at the very first class.
7. Drop all of your high school friends.
I mean, if they were crappy friends or friends out of convenience or people you genuinely don’t feel the need to keep a long distance friendship with, do it and power to you. If they are good friends, don’t decide to end a friendship or give up on it because you’re going to separate colleges. Try your best and if the friendship is to end, it’ll naturally fade in college or it might stay really strong. Deciding to cut all high school ties might be a bit too extreme.
8. Connect with every single incoming freshman to your college on every social media platform.
In terms of things not to do the summer before starting college, this one is a bit surprising. Don’t be the kid who adds every single person with a pulse that’s attending your college on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It’s great to connect with people from your school, but try not to overdo it to the point where it seems a little too thirsty. Connect with kids you meet or actually have interactions with, even if they just like your post in the college group. Avoid going down the list of members in your incoming freshman group and mindlessly clicking “Add Friend.” Just a little bit of online socialization goes a long way.
9. Get hung up on Rate My Professors reviews.
Don’t let them scare you. Almost everyone looks up their professors as soon as they receive their schedule and oftentimes the ratings can be inaccurate. Let yourself make your own predictions when you actually have the professor. Basically take all of the reviews with a grain of salt.
10. Become “best friends” with your roommate ASAP.
Don’t decide you’ll be besties before you even meet while claiming to be the rare exception to the idea that most roommates don’t end up being best friends. Be friendly, make conversation, discuss who is bringing what but don’t fall for the idea that you guys will become sisters as soon as you move in.
Assuming rooming together will be smooth sailing because you guys click very well via online is common and rarely is accurate. I’m not saying to totally brush off a friendship with your roommate, but just try to wait until you guys meet and live together for a bit before deciding you’re basically best friend sisters for life. No need to force a friendship or raise your hopes too high so soon.
