photo: liveasborn.tumblr.com
It's about that time of year again. Spring semester means that school is close to being out, but this time, for good. But don't forget, college is just around the corner and you need to use your time wisely. You only get time like this once! After this, you have to pretend to be an adult and do adult things during the summer. So take advantage of this spring and summer to get ready for college!
1. Have One Last Big Shindig with Your High School Friends.
Not everyone will stick around all summer, so have a get together with your biggest group of friends one last time before school is out or right after it is out.
2. Scrapbook.
Print out your favorite memories from high school and make a scrapbook. You probably have so many pictures that you're not doing anything with. You may not right now, but a few years down the road, you will want to look back on some of your high school memories. (And no. You will not have time over Christmas break during college. You will be too busy watching Netflix and napping.)
3. Schedule Friend Reunions.
Go ahead and make plans now with your high school friends so that you all stay in touch. Whether it is going to dinner sometime during Christmas break, celebrating New Years together, traveling to each others' schools for big games, plan ahead! You will all get so busy later on, that you just forget to make plans all together.
4. Get a Tan.
Once it starts warming up again, get outside! You have all summer. You will thank me for this one later.
5. Get a Job.
Once again, you have all summer. Make some extra spending money. This is a biggie. Even though you will most likely blow it all first semester, not having to ask your parents to put money in your account is so so nice. And it helps them out too!
6. Clean Out Your Closet.
If you haven't worn it since sophomore year of high school, you're not going to wear it in college. Clean out your closet, take some things to Plato's closet and make some money so that you can buy a few new things. Take some things to goodwill. It will be so much easier to pack when you have less to choose from and you won't bring so much that your tiny dorm room closet is stuffed.
7. Buy Yourself Some Well Deserved Clothes.
Since you cleaned out your closet and made some money, go buy a few nice staple pieces that you know you will need and will last. And don't forget to buy some edgier things that you normally wouldn't. Now is the time to start wearing what you want and stand out!
8. Clean Out Your Car
No. You will not have time when you get to college. Clean out your car, get it detailed, and make a promise to yourself to keep it that way as long as possible.
9. Clean Up Your Computer.
Having everything, including your electronics, the least amount of cluttered as possible will make your first semester one million times easier. Take a day and delete unneeded things on your computer, phone, iPad, etc.
10. Clean Out Your Makeup Bag.
Dump out your makeup bag and throw away old makeup and makeup that you don''t use. Like I said, the less, the better. And if your makeup situation is really bad, make an appointment at Ulta and get some new makeup. You will feel much more confident when you're rushing to get ready.
11. Get All of Your Appointments Out of the Way.
Get your hair cut, teeth cleaned, prescriptions filled, whatever needs to be done, get it done asap. If you need your wisdom teeth or tonsils out, stop procrastinating and just get it over with so that the situation is not worse later on when you literally have no time to fix it.
12. Buy A FEW Things for Your Dorm.
Of course, you need the necessities. But do not go overboard with buying chests, chairs, tables, etc that are only going to clutter up your room. Clutter = stress.
13. Buy a Printer.
Just do it. Your roommate will hate your for using all of her ink. (Sorry Jess)
14. Buy a Journal.
These are some of the best/worst years of your life. Write it all down! You will be so happy you did later on. And writing in a journal is a wonderful way to blow off steam!
15. BUY A PLANNER.
The most important thing on this list. Write your friends' birthdays in here. Never forget to wish anyone a happy birthday. Write down everything that needs to be done every day and do it. Write down times for classes at the gym and go to them. Write down when you have class. Yes, there will actually be some days so stressful that you forget you have class.
16. Buy a Couple of Photo Albums.
You will take tons and tons of pictures. Do something with them! Having photo albums is always a lot nicer than having to scroll through your phone or computer to find pictures. And its a lot easier to keep up with memories!
17. Download Lots of New Music.
Roommate jam sessions are vital when you're both delirious from not sleeping for days and drinking too many Redbulls while studying for finals.
18. Make a Realistic Monthly Budget.
Realistic.
19. Get binders, pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.
Color code things. Get those tiny sticky tabs so you can tab things in books that you want to sale later on. Go crazy and get as organized as possible before school starts.
20. Do your research.
Look up all of the clubs there are at your future school, find some you like, and find out how to join them. You will be so busy the first couple of months that you will forget all about extracurriculars. If you plan on going greek, go on the school website, find the sororities' websites, stalk different sororities' Instagrams (cough cough @usaphimu), etc. Now is the time to get everything organized so that you can be involved on campus as soon as you get there. You won't regret it!
21. Get Off of Your Phone.
Spend more time talking to your friends, going to the beach, having dinner with your family, making a slip-n-slide with your siblings, and just enjoying everyone's company. You will have plenty of time to stare at your phone during Biology. (Just kidding, Bio is hard and you need to make an A.)
22. Get into a workout routine.
If you go ahead and make working out a habit now, you won't have to spring semester of your freshman year when the freshman 15 hits you.
23. Forgive, Forget, and Move On.
You're going to do bigger and better things now. Leave the petty things in the past. If there is a toxic relationship holding you down, it's time to let go of that. If you have issues with someone, apologize (even if it isn't your fault) and work things out. Trust me, leaving high school on good terms with everyone will make you feel so much better. Spend your time before college surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and love you.
xx Kate
1. Have One Last Big Shindig with Your High School Friends.
Not everyone will stick around all summer, so have a get together with your biggest group of friends one last time before school is out or right after it is out.
2. Scrapbook.
Print out your favorite memories from high school and make a scrapbook. You probably have so many pictures that you're not doing anything with. You may not right now, but a few years down the road, you will want to look back on some of your high school memories. (And no. You will not have time over Christmas break during college. You will be too busy watching Netflix and napping.)
3. Schedule Friend Reunions.
Go ahead and make plans now with your high school friends so that you all stay in touch. Whether it is going to dinner sometime during Christmas break, celebrating New Years together, traveling to each others' schools for big games, plan ahead! You will all get so busy later on, that you just forget to make plans all together.
4. Get a Tan.
Once it starts warming up again, get outside! You have all summer. You will thank me for this one later.
5. Get a Job.
Once again, you have all summer. Make some extra spending money. This is a biggie. Even though you will most likely blow it all first semester, not having to ask your parents to put money in your account is so so nice. And it helps them out too!
6. Clean Out Your Closet.
If you haven't worn it since sophomore year of high school, you're not going to wear it in college. Clean out your closet, take some things to Plato's closet and make some money so that you can buy a few new things. Take some things to goodwill. It will be so much easier to pack when you have less to choose from and you won't bring so much that your tiny dorm room closet is stuffed.
7. Buy Yourself Some Well Deserved Clothes.
Since you cleaned out your closet and made some money, go buy a few nice staple pieces that you know you will need and will last. And don't forget to buy some edgier things that you normally wouldn't. Now is the time to start wearing what you want and stand out!
8. Clean Out Your Car
No. You will not have time when you get to college. Clean out your car, get it detailed, and make a promise to yourself to keep it that way as long as possible.
9. Clean Up Your Computer.
Having everything, including your electronics, the least amount of cluttered as possible will make your first semester one million times easier. Take a day and delete unneeded things on your computer, phone, iPad, etc.
10. Clean Out Your Makeup Bag.
Dump out your makeup bag and throw away old makeup and makeup that you don''t use. Like I said, the less, the better. And if your makeup situation is really bad, make an appointment at Ulta and get some new makeup. You will feel much more confident when you're rushing to get ready.
11. Get All of Your Appointments Out of the Way.
Get your hair cut, teeth cleaned, prescriptions filled, whatever needs to be done, get it done asap. If you need your wisdom teeth or tonsils out, stop procrastinating and just get it over with so that the situation is not worse later on when you literally have no time to fix it.
12. Buy A FEW Things for Your Dorm.
Of course, you need the necessities. But do not go overboard with buying chests, chairs, tables, etc that are only going to clutter up your room. Clutter = stress.
13. Buy a Printer.
Just do it. Your roommate will hate your for using all of her ink. (Sorry Jess)
14. Buy a Journal.
These are some of the best/worst years of your life. Write it all down! You will be so happy you did later on. And writing in a journal is a wonderful way to blow off steam!
15. BUY A PLANNER.
The most important thing on this list. Write your friends' birthdays in here. Never forget to wish anyone a happy birthday. Write down everything that needs to be done every day and do it. Write down times for classes at the gym and go to them. Write down when you have class. Yes, there will actually be some days so stressful that you forget you have class.
16. Buy a Couple of Photo Albums.
You will take tons and tons of pictures. Do something with them! Having photo albums is always a lot nicer than having to scroll through your phone or computer to find pictures. And its a lot easier to keep up with memories!
17. Download Lots of New Music.
Roommate jam sessions are vital when you're both delirious from not sleeping for days and drinking too many Redbulls while studying for finals.
18. Make a Realistic Monthly Budget.
Realistic.
19. Get binders, pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.
Color code things. Get those tiny sticky tabs so you can tab things in books that you want to sale later on. Go crazy and get as organized as possible before school starts.
20. Do your research.
Look up all of the clubs there are at your future school, find some you like, and find out how to join them. You will be so busy the first couple of months that you will forget all about extracurriculars. If you plan on going greek, go on the school website, find the sororities' websites, stalk different sororities' Instagrams (cough cough @usaphimu), etc. Now is the time to get everything organized so that you can be involved on campus as soon as you get there. You won't regret it!
21. Get Off of Your Phone.
Spend more time talking to your friends, going to the beach, having dinner with your family, making a slip-n-slide with your siblings, and just enjoying everyone's company. You will have plenty of time to stare at your phone during Biology. (Just kidding, Bio is hard and you need to make an A.)
22. Get into a workout routine.
If you go ahead and make working out a habit now, you won't have to spring semester of your freshman year when the freshman 15 hits you.
23. Forgive, Forget, and Move On.
You're going to do bigger and better things now. Leave the petty things in the past. If there is a toxic relationship holding you down, it's time to let go of that. If you have issues with someone, apologize (even if it isn't your fault) and work things out. Trust me, leaving high school on good terms with everyone will make you feel so much better. Spend your time before college surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and love you.
xx Kate