Having finished high school and summer came by fast and now you’re starting a new chapter in your life – college. This is an important stage in your life, as this will be the first time you’ll be stepping up your educational training and be treated as an adult. You are entrusted to think for yourself as your professors will mainly focus on the courses that you’ll be taking. The classes will be more engaging than in high school as a big part of the learning will come from your individual effort to learn more about the subject matter.
Here are a few things that you’ll need on the first day:
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1. Writing utensils
It is advisable to arrive early so you’ll have time to gather yourself and be prepared to meet your new professor. On the first day, you can expect your professors to assign reading materials and other tasks. So it’s advisable to bring pens and some paper (bring extra, share and gain a friend), in case you’ll need to jot things down to be submitted or just a reminder for later. It is also recommended to bring a highlighter for when study handouts are distributed. Be sure to mark the things that you’ll need to focus on first during your study time later.
2. Folders with pockets
Aside from your backpack, it is also advisable to bring a folder to keep your documents or paper materials from getting crumpled inside the backpack. This is also useful so that you can organize the documents or study notes, you’ll be using and/or receiving on the first day.
3. Tablet Computer
In today’s educational demands and trends, having a computer has become an essential part of your learning arsenal. So over the summer before college, it is wise to save up and invest in the best tablet for note taking. This will allow you to take your notes for all your classes in a single device. Also, if you prefer to learn on a computer, you can purchase the online license and download the content on your tablet. They are lightweight and have a big capacity to store important data that’ll be invaluable in your studies.
4. Comfortable wear
There’s a possibility that you’ll do a lot of walking around the campus on your first day. Some colleges will have their tour on the first day so it’s advisable to wear something breathable and would not wear you out at the end of the day.
5. Snacks
You can also be very busy on your first day, juggling your school requirements and your other things that are not related to the classroom but are equally important. So you may not have the time to take your lunch that is why it’ll be good if you can bring your own snacks so you can eat whenever you can. A good snack will be a healthy sandwich that can fuel you for the rest of the day and is easy to pack and eat.
The important thing to remember is that it’s a long journey of discovery and learning how to be self-reliant with everything else outside the classroom. The first week is typically a “Welcome Week” for freshmen, so try your best to know about the school and make new friends that you can potentially have a professional relationship in the future. You are young and full of life, so you can absorb a lot of things so enjoy your stay in college and make the most out of everything.