12 Things You Should Know About Yourself Before College

Does anyone really know themselves? In some moments we might feel 100% confident that yes, we do and in others, we might just feel like a giant question mark. I think during different periods in our lives we discover more pieces of who we are, and college is one of those periods. Between packing lists and summer reading assignments, your brain is on overdrive the summer before college. Do you want more things to worry about? Of course you do! You don’t really need to worry about these things, they’re more or less just some good things to think about. These are things you might already know about yourself or things you can spend the summer before college learning.

I know there’s a lot to think about, but try to stay calm. Don’t stress too much–You’ll learn these things about yourself eventually, but it’s best to learn them as soon as possible.

1. Most Effective Study Habits

This is something you should probably know about yourself before college, especially because you’ve probably recently had to develop them in high school. College means a lot of studying and whether you were a good student in high school or not, it’s smart to start thinking about which study methods worked best for you.

If flashcards are always your go-to, add index cards to your packing list. Perhaps Quizlet was a lifesaver and you want to upgrade to a premium account. My favorite and most effective study methods are flash cards and turning study sessions into games. For my religion final, I created a Jeopardy style game with colored paper and studied with my best friend, not only did we have as much fun as one can while studying, but also we both aced it. Knowing this, I know I can study the night before an exam and be fine and I know reading my notes for hours won’t actually benefit me.

Even if you’re not sure of which study habits are most effective for you, think about some that didn’t work in the past and some you’d like to try moving forward. By the time you’re halfway through college you’ll probably figure out a method that works. Just remember: the earlier you figure out, the better off you’ll be.

Be sure to read 12 Habits That Will Improve Your Grades if you want to develop more or are still unsure of what works for you.

2. Living Preferences & Lifestyle 

Do you value alone time? Are there certain things that your siblings or parents do that drive you insane? Are you a night owl or a morning bird? This can also impact which dorm you decide to live in, especially if some dorms are party dorms or some dorms have fewer or more roommates than others. Be honest with yourself on this. If you’ve got a tough skin, it doesn’t hurt to ask your parents what they’ve picked up about your lifestyle from living with you for the past 18 or so years.

When you do get assigned your roommate, these are also great things to discuss beforehand. Be upfront with things you can’t compromise on or hope to change. It’s also good to take note of Common Roommate Problems & Solutions, which can also be helpful with resolving living conflicts ASAP. It’s best to talk about them before they become a real issue.

3. Bad Habits 

Bad habits don’t always correlate directly with succeeding in college, but they’re worth honing in on. This is especially important if you’ll be living with a roommate and the bad habit you have can impact those around you (ie: staying up ridiculously late or leaving clothes all over the floor).

It can also be nice to try to quit these habits before starting college. Going into college with bad habits can also be a little dangerous when you’re being given a lot more freedom, so definitely become aware of them.

4. If/How You’ll Stay in Touch With High School Friends 

This is an important thing to know about yourself before college because it impacts others, too. You’re not obligated to keep in touch with anyone but you also don’t need to cut everyone off.

No one will tell you this, but if you found that a lot of the friends you’ve made in high school aren’t worth keeping, there’s no need to waste time and efforts. You obviously shouldn’t cut everyone out of your life as soon as college rolls around, but long distance friendships require effort. If the effort needed isn’t worth the friendship, sayonara.

If there are friends you’d like to keep, have an honest discussion with them before you leave. Will you text often? Schedule monthly Skype calls? Plan visits to each other? Nothing needs to be set in stone, but making it clear to a friend that they’re a friend you wish to keep is always a good thing.

5. Most Productive Time of Day

Knowing this now will help you quickly boost productivity when you’re in college. The earlier you can get into a habit of doing your work at that productive peak, the better.

6. A Few Fun Facts

For your entire college career, you will be tasked with naming fun facts about yourself. Find your go-to fun facts whether it be a skill, something cool you did or a weird trick you can do. My fun facts are usually that I’m a twin, Rihanna grabbed my arm once and Bob Saget has me blocked on Twitter. If you need help finding one, ask your friends or family if they can think of some unique things about you or weird things you’ve done. They’re also fun little conversation starters, perfect for college orientation and freshman year in general.

7. What Calms You Down

I’m not the first or the last to tell you how stressful college can be. Figure out what helps you out of a void of stress and anxiety. Perhaps it’s listening to music, talking to your mom, going for a walk, writing in your journal or even just being alone. Having an awareness of your go-to calming ritual helps when you’re ridiculously stressed or worried. If you don’t know yet, start trying new strategies when you enter stressful times. Find out what works and what makes things worse.

8. Your Strengths

Knowing your strengths is a great confidence booster and it’s a nice way to head into college. It can also help you figure out what clubs to join in college. Clubs that help you to play up your strengths and let them shine are always a great option.

9. Your Weaknesses

College is about bettering yourself and knowing where you fall short can help you choose what to focus on. If you know you’re not a great public speaker, perhaps you’ll want to take a speech class. There are a lot of ways knowing your weaknesses can help you grow.

Knowing your weaknesses can help you figure out which classes you want to take in college if you’re seeking to improve on them. Then again, you might want to avoid them altogether, in which case, you’re still helping to discover which classes you don’t want to take.

10. Things That Bothers You

I’m sure you can easily make a list of pet peeves right now. It’s also good to note things that bother you that you can change. Ask yourself why these things bother you and how you can make them a little less bothersome. In college, you’re sometimes surrounded by annoying people and situations and if you can minimize the things that drive you crazy or figure out ways to reframe them, it’ll be incredibly beneficial.

11. What You Value in a Friendship

In college, it can be ridiculously easy to become friends with the first few people you meet and those who happen to live closest to you. In fact, that’s what usually happens. While there’s nothing wrong with this, and sometimes it does work out, keep in mind that your friend groups will change and develop as time goes on. (Pssst…also note The Guide to Making Friends in College)

There’s nothing wrong with making new friends and losing touch with old ones if you know some people are more compatible with others. Knowing what you value in a friendship can help you to see which friends are true friends and which are freshman friends of convenience. For example, I value extroversion and loyalty. I love people like me who have just as much fun going out dancing as they do staying in and watching crappy Netflix movies. It’s also very important that my friends have a similar sense of humor as I do. Because I am aware of these, most of my friends have those traits.

Of course, what you value can change while in college, but when you have a few attributes and aspects already in mind before you head to college, you’re setting yourself up to seek out more genuine friendships with a longer shelf life than many tempory freshman ones.

12. What You Want to Get Out of College

Obviously, that diploma is the big one, but what else? Are you hoping to find your future bridesmaids or maybe just a maid of honor? Are you looking to discover what your passion in life is? Are you hoping to learn as much about as many subjects as possible? Do you want to make a huge impact by being involved in your school?

Going into college, I knew I wanted to really become more of the person I am. I wanted to be myself as much as possible and learn who I was. As corny as it sounds, I knew a new place with so many unfamiliar places was the perfect fresh start. And, looking back as a senior? I can safely say that I’m not the same person I was freshman year and I’m ridiculously happy about it. I also wanted to find a friend I would have for life, and I managed to do that and find some other amazing people I hope to keep.

Even if you have no idea what exactly you want to get out of college, or maybe you’re just going to get that degree, go in with an open mind.

Be sure to read 8 Ways to Get the Most Out of College for some bonus inspo.

What are some things you think you should know about yourself before college or wish you did?