The Top 5 Things I Didn't Know I'd Need to Do for College
When one thinks of going to college for their freshman year, the first thing that comes to mind is independence - living alone, no adults, parties, new people, and maybe a job. What many people do not realize, however, is that there is a lot to do before a new college student can access that freedom. Here are five things I did not realize I would have to do before attending my first year of college:
File for medical insurance: I never realized I would have to file for student insurance from my college. Though I do not know if all colleges do this, I was surprised to know that colleges and universities even provided insurance at all! My school (the University of Rochester) specifically requires students to have medical insurance on campus. Either you enroll in their student plan, or fill out a waiver with proof that you have qualifying insurance of your own.
Attend Several Online Orientations and Information Sessions: This occurrence might be just because of Corona, though I am not too sure. There have been several online orientation zoom calls to attend about the subjects you might be interested in, health on campus, academic integrity, and so forth. I did not even realize these were available to me until after most of them had happened because many of these online info sessions were in early June as well.
Lots and Lots of Needles: Before college, I realized at my doctor’s appointment, is when many of your final shots are done (but I am 17 so it might be different for many of those who are attending as 18-year-olds) as well as many tests, both blood and other. When visiting the doctor for the first time (I have to go for follow up shots) I found out I needed an EKG, blood work, a TB test, and a meningitis shot on top of my usual check up! It's a lot of poking, prodding, and 1 on 1 time with your doctor… as well as plenty of medical paperwork. With corona being in the mix now, I’m sure medical testing is extremely important, making all of the tests and needles, unfortunately, necessary.
Create a Facebook Account: This may also not apply to everyone, but it applied to me and most of my friends. When committing to the school of your choice, you might realize there is a Facebook group for your class that you can join… and that you don’t have a Facebook account because you’re Gen Z and none of us do. So, in order to commune with your new classmates and make friends before you even arrive, you are forced to make a Facebook account just to communicate with these people. It ends up being worth it, as you get to read the bios and stories of all these new people and discover others with interests just like yours! Personally, I made a few friends myself, joined a large GroupMe, and joined a U of R discord that is much more user friendly than Facebook.
Buy a Bunch of Stuff you didn’t think you’d need: for me, I was surprised at how much stuff I needed to buy to prepare for dorm life, as well as how much I would need to pack. I ended up purchasing many things I did not realize would be so handy in a dorm, such as power strips (with surge protection), a box fan, and a mattress topper. Also, I realized it is really hard to come up with a good dorm decor theme… and the fun part of choosing room decorations has been the hardest because I don’t even know if I will be on campus for long, if at all. Your college may also strongly suggest the purchase of a laptop, and I needed to use saved money and graduation gifts to purchase that too. Remember, Apple has student deals for buying a new computer for college! Use them, because I didn’t know until it was too late. Also keep some cash aside for other random things you might realize you want and need for your dorm after you move in, such as an electric kettle or mini-fridge.
