Getting Ready For College - From Shower Kits to Homesickness

It is incredibly difficult leaving home for your firstacross the country and need to prepare for all
semester of college. You might be eighteen and feelseasons, then spend extra time organizing everything!
ready for a new adventure, but that excitement is2) In addition to clothing, you need to make sure you
always paired with nerves and apprehension. You arehave all your prescriptions and favorite "must-have"
used to living with your family and hanging out withitems so that you feel more at home. Shower kits
your friends from high school. Now you enter a worldare also incredibly important. Purchase a portable
where you are far from home, need to make all newwaterproof basket and fill it with your shampoo and
friends, and you have to do your own laundry.body wash. This organization will make those
Everyone experiences the same feelings though, socommunal showering times much easier to use and
you are not alone! As long as you prepare yourselfdo not forget your bathing sandals! They are
well, talk to your roommates before you meet foressential!
the first time, and you start looking into possible3) Everyone will grow homesick at one point during
clubs and activities to join, you will feel ready tohis or her freshman year; it is very natural to feel sad
embrace this experience on day one!and miss your family. Make sure that you make
1) Do not leave all your packing to the last minute!regular phone calls home and ask your parents to
Most people live in dorms their freshman year andsend you small care packages and email updates so
have at least one to two roommates. In all likelihood,that you still feel connected. Try to focus on the
you will not have much space. Therefore, it is morenew experience you are having and join a few clubs
important to decide what to pack beforehand insteadso that you stay busy. Soon you will be so wrapped
of bringing your entire closet with you. I guaranteeup with college life that the homesickness will pass!
that half of your clothing will not fit. If you are goingThese few tips are just the basics that everyone
only a few hours away from home, you have theshould know before they take off for their first year
luxury of changing out your fall clothes to winterof school. Do some more research so that you feel
clothes to spring clothes. However, if you are flyingcompletely prepared. Have a great year!