I never went “off to college”, but I did go. I did a full year and stayed at home, but I still needed all of these skills! This is a great guest post that shares 7 skills you need before going off to college.
7 Life Skills You Need before College
Ian McArthur
I remember getting ready to go to college. The packing, the advice, the search for housing, and the campus tours all just kind of whipped by. It was exciting to finally be out on my own. And that’s when it hit me… I was on my own. Fortunately, I learned a few things about surviving in the world before embarking on my journey for knowledge. Between my preparation and several hours of youtube, I’ve managed to handle all the little surprises life has thrown at me. If you are preparing to head off to school, I’ve got a list here to help give you a leg up and prepare you for life on your own. Here are a few things to freshen up on before heading off to school:
Basic Plumbing
Plumbing might not be one of those things that you think about on a daily basis, but it sure takes the stage if your toilet clogs. Usually apartment complexes have access to maintenance crews, but if you don’t feel like waiting around for your one toilet–that services six people–to be fixed, you might want to polish up on your plumbing skills.
Cooking
Sure, we’ve all heard the stories about people living on nothing but ramen noodles and peanut butter, but can we really call that living? What if you want to have some friends over or impress a date? Ramen and peanut butter probably won’t cut it. Fortunately, you can learn cooking from all kinds of sources. Family, friends, cookbooks, and the internet are all full of helpful advice to give you a few starter recipes before going to college. My advice is to start by perfecting one impressive dish, and then building onward.
Basic Nutrition
In my college days I once spent about two weeks consuming pretty much nothing but beans. That’s right. I had beans just about every day for two weeks. My nurse girlfriend–now wife–pointed out that I should probably introduce some variety when I complained of stomach pains. Nutrition isn’t that complex, but it is important to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. This is especially true if you are a college athlete or just enjoy an active lifestyle.
Planning
College life, with its classes, homework, parties, and jobs, is not a simple experience. At any given moment you will have dozens of things clamoring for your attention. The trick is determining what is most important and prioritizing it. Get yourself a good planner, or a good planning app, and learn how to use it. Give yourself every opportunity to succeed by planning out your days and balancing your life between work, study, and play.
Budgeting
This bit of advice is closely related to the last one. With my first college job I only made about $150 dollars a week. Remove rent, food, and book costs and…well…there wasn’t much left. Learning to budget will help you make the best use of your money so you can still have a social life and not go into gut wrenching debt. Even with my meager little income, I was able to do plenty without overreaching with my funds.
Driving in Bad Weather
I come from the South, so if you’ve got a dirt road that needs driving on, I’m your guy. I also know how to drive in the rain. But snow? Nope. No snow in the South. Fortunately, I also spent some time driving around in northern Europe during the dead of winter, so I got some practice before going to college. If you aren’t familiar with a certain kind of precipitation, you should find every opportunity to practice so you can handle the roads like a native in your new college town.
Personal Safety
College is an exciting time. You are learning new things, meeting new people, and are often far away from home. But safety is key if you are to enjoy your time at school. Stay in lighted areas at night, walk with friends, know where campus security is located, maybe take some self defense classes. Don’t be scared, but don’t be unaware either. College should be fun. So stay safe, and live every moment of it.
There are loads of things that would be helpful to learn before college, but college is probably where you are going to learn most of this stuff anyway. Polish up on these things before heading out, and build on them for a great experience.
