You’re standing at one of those rare moments where everything shifts. High school is wrapping up, and college is right there on the horizon. Maybe you’re excited. Perhaps you’re terrified. Probably both.
Here’s something nobody tells you enough: the months before college matter just as much as the years during it. What you figure out now—about yourself, your goals, your habits—sets the stage for everything that follows.
This isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions and taking small steps that make a big difference once you’re actually there.
Things to Think About Before College
These twenty considerations will help you prepare for college in ways that go beyond packing lists and orientation schedules. Let’s get into what really matters.
1. Your Actual Reasons for Going
Why are you going to college? Seriously, take a minute with this one. If your answer is “because everyone else is” or “my parents expect it,” you’re setting yourself up for a rocky four years. College costs real money and real time. You need your own reasons.
Maybe you want to study marine biology because you’ve been obsessed with ocean life since you were eight. Maybe you’re the first in your family to go, and that means something deep to you. Perhaps you’re chasing a specific career that requires a degree, or you’re genuinely excited about learning in a way high school never offered. Whatever it is, make sure it’s yours. Write it down if that helps. You’ll need to remember it during those 2 a.m. study sessions when motivation runs thin.
2. How You Actually Learn Best
College professors won’t hold your hand. They’ll lecture, assign readings, and expect you to show up ready. But here’s the thing: everyone absorbs information differently, and you need to know your style before you’re drowning in coursework.
Do you learn by listening, or do you need to write everything down? Can you study with music playing, or do you need total silence? Some people grasp concepts by teaching them to others. Some need to draw diagrams. Others have to walk around while reviewing notes. Spend time now figuring out what actually works for you. Try different methods. Track what sticks. This self-knowledge will save you hours of frustration later.
3. The Real Cost Beyond Tuition
Tuition is just the starting point. Room and board, textbooks, lab fees, transportation, food when the dining hall is closed, coffee to stay awake, printer ink, winter coat for that unexpectedly cold campus—it adds up fast. And we haven’t even talked about social expenses yet.
Your friends will want to grab dinner off-campus, go to concerts, and take weekend trips. You’ll need money for laundry, toothpaste, emergency medicine, and yes, the occasional moment of fun that keeps you sane. Sit down with your family and create a realistic budget. Figure out what’s covered, what you’ll need to earn, and what you can actually afford. Studies show that financial stress is one of the top reasons students struggle academically. Getting ahead of this now protects your grades later.
4. Your Relationship with Sleep
This sounds boring. It’s not. Sleep is the foundation everything else rests on. Your memory, your immune system, your ability to handle stress, your mood—all of it connects to whether you’re getting enough rest.
College culture glorifies all-nighters like they’re badges of honor. They’re actually terrible for your brain and your performance. Research consistently shows that students who maintain regular sleep schedules outperform those who don’t, even when the latter group spends more total hours studying. Start building better sleep habits now. Set a consistent bedtime. Notice how much sleep your body actually needs to feel good. Create a wind-down routine. Train yourself to treat sleep as non-negotiable, because it is.
5. Whether You Can Cook Anything at All
You don’t need to be a chef, but knowing how to make five decent meals will change your life. Dining halls get old fast. At some point, you’ll be hungry at midnight with no meal plan swipes left, or you’ll move off-campus where cooking isn’t optional anymore.
Learn to make pasta that isn’t just butter and salt. Master a solid omelet. Figure out how to roast vegetables, prepare rice properly, and throw together a decent stir-fry. These basic skills save money and keep you healthier than living on ramen and energy drinks. Plus, being the person who can actually cook makes you surprisingly popular in college.
6. How to Manage Your Own Healthcare
Calling Mom when you’re sick won’t work anymore. You need to know how to schedule doctor appointments, understand your insurance coverage, recognize when something needs urgent care versus when it can wait, and keep track of prescriptions.
Do you know your blood type? Your allergies? Your family medical history? Can you describe symptoms clearly to a healthcare provider? Do you have copies of your important medical records? Before you leave for college, sit down with your parents and go through everything health-related. Find out where the campus health center is, what services they offer, and how to access mental health support if you need it. Nobody thinks they’ll need this information until they desperately do.
7. Your Current Friend Group’s Future
Your high school friends matter. But college changes things, and pretending it won’t just makes the transition harder for everyone. Some friendships will last. Others will fade. Both outcomes are okay.
Think about what you want here. Are you hoping to maintain close contact with specific people? Then talk about it now. Set realistic expectations. Maybe you’ll text every day at first, then every week, then every month. Distance and different experiences pull people apart naturally. That’s not failure. It’s growth. At the same time, staying in touch with hometown friends can provide crucial stability during your first semester when everything else feels new and overwhelming. Just don’t let fear of losing old friendships stop you from making new ones.
8. The Technology You Actually Need
You don’t need the newest laptop, the latest tablet, noise-canceling headphones, and a smart watch. You need equipment that works reliably. There’s a difference.
A solid laptop that can handle word processing, research, and whatever your major requires is essential. A decent pair of headphones for studying in noisy environments helps. A power bank for those long days on campus saves frustration. But think carefully before loading up on gadgets. They get stolen from dorm rooms. They break. They become outdated. Spend your money on quality basics, not trendy extras. Also, learn the basics of maintaining your tech now—backing up files, updating software, troubleshooting common problems—because campus IT support gets overwhelmed fast.
9. How You Handle Conflict
You’re going to live with someone you didn’t choose. Your roommate might blast music while you’re studying, or never do their dishes, or have guests over constantly, or keep the room at a temperature that makes you miserable. How will you handle it?
Most people avoid confrontation. They let things build until they explode or until they’re so miserable they request a room change. Neither approach is great. Start practicing now. Use “I” statements. Be direct but kind. “I need quiet time between 10 p.m. and midnight to study effectively” works better than “You’re so loud.” Learn to state your needs clearly without attacking the other person. This skill will serve you in college and for the rest of your life. Honestly, it might be more valuable than anything you learn in class.
10. Your Drinking Boundaries
Let’s be real about this. Alcohol is everywhere in college. You’ll face pressure to drink, whether you want to or not. So what are your actual boundaries?
Maybe you don’t drink at all, for religious reasons or personal preference or family history. That’s completely valid. Maybe you’ll drink socially but want to avoid getting drunk. Maybe you’re curious to experiment. Whatever you decide, decide it now while you’re clearheaded and not standing at a party with people pushing drinks at you. Know your limits. Understand what a standard drink actually is (most people overestimate). Never leave your drink unattended. Have a plan for getting home safely. And here’s something crucial: you don’t owe anyone an explanation for your choices. “No thanks” is a complete sentence.
11. What Homesickness Might Feel Like
You might not get homesick at all. Some people feel instantly at home on campus. Others get hit with waves of missing their old life, their family, their bedroom, their hometown coffee shop. Both experiences are normal.
If you do feel homesick, it doesn’t mean you made a mistake. It means you had good things in your life that you’re missing. That’s healthy. The key is recognizing it for what it is—a temporary adjustment period, not a permanent state. It usually peaks around week three or four, then gradually eases. Having strategies ready helps. Video calls (but not too many), care packages, photos of loved ones, and comfort items from home can all ease the transition. So can staying busy and giving new friendships time to develop.
12. A Basic System for Staying Organized
College throws a lot at you simultaneously. Multiple classes with different assignment schedules, extracurriculars, work shifts if you have a job, social events, and basic life maintenance like laundry and grocery shopping. Something has to keep track of it all.
Some people love detailed planners. Others prefer digital calendars. Some use simple to-do lists. The specific system matters less than having one that you’ll actually use. Try out different approaches now. See what feels natural. The goal is to find something that takes minimal effort to maintain but keeps you from missing deadlines or double-booking yourself. Whatever you choose, make checking it part of your daily routine before you’re managing a full course load.
13. Your Major Doesn’t Define Your Career
This is huge. You don’t need to have your entire life figured out at eighteen. Your major is not a binding contract. According to research, most people end up in careers unrelated to their undergraduate degree.
If you’re passionate about something specific, great. Pursue it. But if you’re undecided or anxious about choosing wrong, relax. Many students change majors at least once. Some of the most successful people studied something completely different from what they ended up doing professionally. Your first year of college is partly about exploring. Take classes in different areas. Talk to people in various fields. Pay attention to what energizes you versus what drains you. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to not know yet.
14. The Difference Between Being Alone and Being Lonely
College paradoxically offers constant togetherness and profound loneliness, often at the same time. You’re surrounded by people but might feel unknown by all of them. Learning to be comfortable alone—actually alone, not just scrolling through your phone—is essential.
Can you sit with your own thoughts? Can you enjoy a meal by yourself? Can you spend an evening in your room without feeling like you’re missing out? Being alone is different from being lonely. One is a skill. The other is pain. Develop the skill before you get to campus. Take yourself on solo walks. Spend time reading without distractions. Get comfortable in your own company. This makes you more resilient when friendships take time to form or when you need space from your roommate or when you’re studying while others are partying. It also, weirdly enough, makes you better at connecting with others because you’re not desperately dependent on constant social interaction.
15. A Few Key Laundry Facts
You’ll laugh, but this trips up more first-year students than calculus. Seriously. Knowing how to do laundry properly saves money, clothes, and embarrassment.
Separate whites from colors. Use cold water for most things. Don’t overload the machines. Know which clothes can’t go in the dryer. Understand what different detergent types do. Check pockets before washing. Set timers so you don’t leave your clothes in the machines for hours (other students will remove them, and it’s awkward). Many students show up to college never having done their own laundry. They ruin expensive clothes, stain entire loads pink, or shrink sweaters down to doll size. Ten minutes of practice now prevents all of this. Your future self will thank you.
16. What Actually Motivates You
External motivation—grades, parental pressure, competition—works in high school because the structure is tight and the rewards are immediate. College is different. You need internal motivation because nobody’s checking if you’re going to class or doing readings, or staying on track.
What genuinely drives you? Is it curiosity about how things work? Is it the satisfaction of mastering difficult skills? Is it wanting to help people, or make things, or understand complex systems? Figure this out. On days when you’re tired and the assignment seems pointless, you’ll need to tap into something real inside yourself. Students who rely solely on grades as motivation often struggle because college offers less frequent feedback. Building your sense of purpose—even a rough draft of it—gives you something sturdier to lean on.
17. How to Ask for Help
This is hard for a lot of people, especially high achievers who made it through high school without needing much support. College levels the playing field. Everyone struggles with something. The successful students are the ones who ask for help early, not the ones who try to push through alone.
Your campus has resources. Office hours with professors, tutoring centers, writing labs, counseling services, academic advisors, and peer mentors. But they only help if you use them. Practice asking for help now. Email a teacher about a concept you don’t understand. Visit someone’s office hours. Admit when you’re confused. Get comfortable saying “I need support with this.” Waiting until you’re failing is too late. Asking when you’re just starting to struggle means problems stay small and manageable.
18. Your Screen Time Habits
Look at your phone’s screen time report right now. Actually, look at it. How much time did you spend on social media yesterday? This week? Your phone isn’t the enemy, but unconscious scrolling eats time that college students don’t have.
You’ll need focus for reading dense textbooks, writing papers, solving problem sets, and actually being present with new friends. Constantly checking your phone fragments your attention and makes everything take longer. Start building better habits now. Try putting your phone in another room while you study. Turn off non-essential notifications. Set app limits. Notice when you’re scrolling out of boredom versus actually enjoying content. These tiny adjustments compound over time, giving you back hours every week that you can use for things that actually matter to you.
19. The Power of Morning Routines
How you start your day shapes everything that follows. Rolling out of bed ten minutes before class and running across campus half-awake is a terrible way to learn. You’re setting yourself up for fog brain and catch-up mode.
Build a morning routine now that you can maintain in college. Maybe it’s 30 minutes of reading, or a quick workout, or breakfast with no screens, or journaling, or just sitting quietly with coffee. The specific activities matter less than having something consistent that grounds you before the day’s chaos starts. Students with solid morning routines report less stress, better grades, and more overall satisfaction. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just has to be yours and sustainable even on busy days.
20. That You’re Going to Make Mistakes
Here’s the truth: you’re going to mess up. You’ll skip a class and miss crucial information. You’ll say something awkward at a party. You’ll bomb a test. You’ll hurt someone’s feelings unintentionally. You’ll waste money on something stupid. You’ll trust the wrong person or make a decision you later regret.
All of this is part of it. College is where you’re supposed to make mistakes, while the stakes are still relatively low and you have support systems around you. What matters is how you respond. Can you acknowledge what went wrong? Can you apologize when needed? Can you adjust your approach and try again? Perfectionism is a prison. Self-compassion is freedom. Start practicing now. When you make small mistakes, notice how you talk to yourself. Are you harsh and critical, or kind and constructive? Because that inner voice comes with you to college, and it affects everything from your mental health to your willingness to take risks that lead to growth.
Wrapping Up
College is a beginning, not a destination. What you do in these preparation months shapes how smoothly you’ll adapt when you get there. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to start thinking about these things now, while you have time to prepare thoughtfully instead of reactively.
The students who thrive aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most talented. They’re the ones who know themselves, who build good habits, who ask for help when they need it, and who treat this experience as a chance to grow into whoever they’re becoming. That can absolutely be you.
Start where you are. Pick one thing from this list and spend a week working on it. Then pick another. Small preparation now creates massive advantages later. You’ve got this.