College Crunch

As we quickly approach September, the hot topic right now on every student’s mind is: “what do I need to do?”

Here are some ideas to remember as you get ready for the fall.

Finances

Money is usually the biggest issue regarding school. Carefully considering your living expenses and budgeting can meant he difference between ramen noodles, and eating real food. Always round your budgets up, and if you can afford the upper limit, then you should be fine.

Think about entertainment expenses, as you’ll want to socialize, unwind, and even enjoy your College experience. Try to estimate what you think you’ll need for entertainment expenses. It can be difficult, but if you don’t budget these expenses in, you’ll end up ruining your overall budget and might have to ask either the bank or family for financial help, and that would look bad, if you just came back from a concert.

You’ll also want to look at school loans. Depending on the interest rates you can get from financial institutions, it might be worth your while, so that you don’t have to work much during school. Working during school can reduce your grades almost one percent per hour on average, so if you work ten or twenty hours a week, you can almost expect a ten percent decrease in your final grade. That can be the difference between passing or failing.

The next major cost of going to school, other than living expenses, entertainment and tuition is school supplies. Books and other items can add up quickly. Search to see if your school has a used book store, and find out which books you can buy used. Also, search online to see if you can find a less expensive source for your text books. You’ll also be looking at spending a fair bit on paper, notebooks, and other tools for school, so make sure you start looking out for sales now.

Living Arrangements

Where you live while going to school will greatly change your experience. I enjoyed residence, as it brought people together, and immediately widened my circle of friends as there will be people in all sorts of programs in residence that you might never run into in the halls at school, but residence is usually very expensive.

If you are moving away from home to residence, or to an apartment, you’ll have to think about hookups for power, water, phone, television and Internet. You’ll have to budget and schedule a moving vehicle and organize packing supplies. It is logistically challenging, and so much thought should be given to moving preparations. I’ve always been horrible about moving, and have left things to the last minute, nearly giving myself a heart attack when something doesn’t go according to plan.

If you are going to live at home, either your parents or your own, depending on your age and ability, you’ll find that it presents its own set of challenges.

If you live with your parents, they may come up with new rules for College than they had when you were in High School, or might want you to stick to those rules, despite the change in your age and life. You’ll want to sit down and hash out what the rules and responsibilities are going to be, and if you need to incur any costs while living with them.

You’ll also have to think about transportation. It is doubtful that your school will be within walking distance of where you are living and so you’ll want to make plans for getting to College and home. Think about secondary plans if you are going to use public transportation or the good will of others, as situations may come up where the service is unreliable.

Events and Activities

One thing I did before moving to the city where my College was located was to research the location and find out where people hang out, where events happen, and where I’d probably be spending most of my time.

Knowning this before getting to the city gave me the opportunity to unwind as well as meet new people. This especially helps if you are the only “local” in your social circle, as you’ll have an idea of where everyone should go.

This time should also be used to look at what sort of frosh week or pre-term school organized events might be available. These events are another great way to meet people both in and out of your selected courses.

Supplies

By now, many of you might have already selected which classes you’ll have, and at what times, but did you know that you could already get your book list together? Buying your books early gives you better odds at getting the best discount.

Don’t forget to look at the technology you use, as a slow computer can kill productivity, and any time that you are waiting for your computer to do something could be better spent doing nearly anything else.

Lastly, don’t forget about “special” supplies. If you are in a medical program, you’ll probably need scrubs, maybe a stethoscope, and more. If you are in a business program, you’ll want to look at a suit or other professional wear for your presentations. These supplies are often overlooked, but can be difficult to get once school begins.

Check with your chosen school, and see what you’ll need to be productive and professional in your chosen degree.

In the end, preparation will help make sure your College experience is as fulfilling and stress-free as possible.