College Preparedness is not just about the academics. For most students, it is their first taste of independence. Below are important life skills every student should have as they embark on their college journey.
Cleaning and Organization
* Even if tidiness is difficult for you, keep your clutter to your own personal space.
* If your room has a shared bathroom, create a schedule with your roommate(s) about who cleans what and when. In addition to phone reminders, post the actual schedule in the bathroom for a visual reminder. If you are living at home, alternate bathroom cleaning with your family, or clean it yourself if you have your own bathroom.
* It should not have to be said, but basic hygiene is important. Not only will it make you feel better emotionally, but it will make your shared space more livable. Do not wait for someone to come into your room Ace Ventura style swatting at the odor.
* If you are commuting, treat your old bedroom as the first step to maturing. You will move out eventually, so start the positive habits now. Pick your clothes off the floor. Air out your room. Dust, vacuum, do all the things someone else has been doing for you.
* Whether you are living at home or visiting from school, set the table, clean your dishes, and load and start the dishwasher.
Roommate Etiquette
* Communication is key. If you did not have a chance to speak to your roommate prior to move in day, use the first week or two to get to know them. If you are not on the same page about room layout, discuss it with them. Airing out concerns is difficult for everyone, but it’s better than having them pile up.
* Do not eat their food without permission. Even if you know you will replace the item immediately, respect their personal space.
* Discuss noise expectations. If either of you has a big test the next day, the other should go party elsewhere.
* If you are living at home, your siblings and parents/guardians are your roommates. Prior to college, there may not have been boundaries, but now you may need more quiet space. On the flip side, as much as you want independence, because you are living at home, communicate with your family about car usage and anything else that may be disruptive to others.
Cooking Basics
* Bring a pan, pot, and cutting board to your dorm room. There will be days you will not like the food, and it’s good to have options.
* When you’re visiting your family for an extended period of time (think winter or spring break), offer to cook a few days for them.
* If you are living at home, create a schedule with your family where you cook at least one day of the week.
* If you do not know where to begin, check out basic cooking blogs and YouTube videos. This blog is a good starting point: https://www.budgetbytes.com/top-10-recipes-for-college-students/.
You do not want to be the person who cannot even make toast or boil water once you’re on your own.
Laundry
* Back in the day, many schools required quarters to do laundry. Now, many institutions include the use of washing machines as part of the tuition. If not, you can use a card. Learn the basics before heading off to school. There’s nothing worse than wanting to wear that favorite sweater or pair of pants only to find them a different color or size than you expected.
* Clean your bedding weekly, and invest in mesh laundry bags to wash delicates or keep your socks from disappearing.
* If you are living at home, start doing your own laundry if you haven’t been.
You want to be in control of your own wardrobe rather than be waiting on someone else to wash the outfit you need.
Final Thoughts
Learning to do all the above may be hard at first, but be patient with yourself. If you make a mistake the first or even second or third time, it’s okay. That’s how we learn. And isn’t college all about that?
Caring College Consulting 
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