Going off to college is such an exciting time. As well as learning about a subject that genuinely interests you, it’s a chance to learn about yourself too. For most of us, it’s the first time we’ve lived independently as adults. You might feel like you can already look after yourself, but it’s not until you move away from the safety net of your parents home that you find out what you’re made of. It can be a struggle at first but we all learn as we go- here are some of the ways you can make sure you’re looking after yourself and are able to live independently when you go off to college.
Learn to budget
One of the hardest lessons you will learn in your adult life is managing your finances. As a college student you won’t have tons of money in the bank, so it’s all about making it work and learning to budget. You need to know how much you can spend each week, and be careful not to waste it. Ensure your bills are paid, your transport is covered and your food is bought before you consider spending money on anything else.
Take care of your body and mind
One of the best things about living at home is the delicious, healthy and home cooked meals served up by parents. When you move away to university, you need to be able to feed yourself. You don’t need to be some kind of chef, however you don’t want to spend the next three years living on grilled cheese and convenience foods. Learn how to cook some simple, tasty and budget friendly staple meals. Make sure you’re including enough fruits and vegetables into your diet, an easy way to do this is include a little with each meal. Add onions and mushrooms to pasta dishes. Have a glass of orange juice with breakfast and add dried fruit to your cereal. Put salad in your sandwich, and freeze fruit to whizz up for smoothies for snacks. Taking care of your mind is equally important, and exercise is something that can benefit your mental and physical health. Join up to a college sport, or walk/ cycle to your classes instead of using public transport. College and parties are something that go hand in hand, but be careful. Drinking alcohol or walking home late at night can put you at risk so be aware of dangers. If you are unlucky enough to become injured and it wasn’t your fault, a company like Derrick Law Firm’s injury lawyers can help you to get the compensation you’re owed. While there are risks with everything we do, be responsible and don’t put yourself in any unnecessary danger.
Get organised
When you’re living at home, you have parents who will ensure you’re where you need to be and at the right time. Without them nagging and forcing you to do these things, you have to learn to be self motivated and do what you need to do- even if you don’t want to do it. Getting organised is a huge part of this. Make sure all appointments, meetings and other dates are recorded on a calendar. If you’re making a journey somewhere, make sure you plan out how to get there. If you need to revise for an exam, get organised and work out a revision schedule. Planning and organization is everything, it will help things run much more smoothly.
