College Prep

Do you have a student getting ready for college? Might I suggest less ACT or SAT prep..and more life readiness? I have seven areas I might suggest working on this summer: managing money, laundry, healthy eating, time management, manners, how to study, and safety. ACT gets them in the door, and might help with a scholarship, but lets’s help them successfully adult!

Money

Does your young adult have a checking account with a debit card? They need one. They need a job too. They work hard at the job, put money in the checking account, and then use it for gas, scooter rental, pizza, groceries, etc. They learn to watch the balance. They learn to budget for what they need. They’ll need to buy coffee, lunch, or a new Lululemon skirt…and they’ll have worked for the money to buy those items. They tend to spend their own money a lot slower than yours.

We do not help them by giving them money. They don’t learn the value of a dollar if we hand (or transfer) them money every week. They will also look for the next handout. I know you may have the money to hand out, but it doesn’t help them learn to manage their finances and prepare to launch into adulthood. We may have money to buy them everything, but we aren’t teaching them anything. My youngest wants a new toy or app every single day…but I’m not helping him at all if I say yes to every request.

Laundry

Can your young adult take care of their laundry? Do they know how to separate their clothing into loads by color? Do they know that red and white don’t mix? Does your young lady know that delicates and expensive athletic wear shouldn’t go into the dryer? Do they have a drying rack? Summer is a great time for them to practice doing laundry! They also need to learn settings on the washer/dryer, and what they mean, and how much detergent and fabric softener to use. It’s also a great time to practice ironing. They need to know to iron on the wrong side of a synthetic fabric to prevent shine.

Food

Does your young adult know how to eat healthy (even if they don’t always do it)? If they don’t like what is being served in a dining hall, sorority, or apartment, can they prepare a few easy meals? Help them make a list of some easy things to have on hand during Rush when meals are scarce, when they’re starving, or when they have a class than runs through dinnertime. Nuts, nut butters, seeds, protein bars, some fruit & veggies, crackers, oatmeal packets, dry cereal, and instant mac and cheese are a few possibilities that are shelf-stable. If they have a refrigerator, they can expand that list with cheese, more fruits and veggies, jelly or jam, deli meat, yogurts, and juice. I know they prefer granola bars, fruit snacks, chips, and energy drinks…but once in a while, they’ll be starving for something better, and hopefully they’ve prepared. : ) And they need to stay hydrated, water helps your brain think clearly!

Time Management

Young adults must learn to manage their time…on their own. It is no longer your job to remind them to wake up or when to leave for school. They have to learn to budget their time. They’ll need to study, work, learn, rest, and play. Class time is first, they need to place a priority on classes during college. If they are sleeping in or partying, you are both wasting time and money. If they are put on probation for low grades, it is their job to make it up and do better. They need to pay for make up classes, or potentially sit out a semester to earn money to try again. My daughter is taking a class this summer since she dropped it over a year ago. It was paid for then…so she’s paying for this one. When they pay for a class themselves…they sure remember to study!

Manners

When sharing a living space, it’s vitally important to be kind. Your young adult may be super fun to be around…but they have to learn to get along. Do they take turns? Clean up after themselves? Load a dishwasher or ask their friends to put their dishes in the sink? Are they quiet when others need to study? Or do they talk loudly on the phone without regard for a roommate? Make sure they know to think of others. Leaving out clothes, shoes, trash, dirty laundry, and leaving a messy sink can kill a roommate relationship.

Study Habits

Does your young adult know how to actually study? Do they know how to read, take notes with important information, and synthesize what they’ve learned? They may need a lesson or practice. Each professor or instructor is different. They may require all chapters as required reading. They may test over the lecture notes. Students need to pay attention to the syllabus handed out on the first day, and add all dates to their planner. Missing a quiz, test, homework, or presentation is on their shoulders in college. There are no reminders. Binders, dividers, post-it notes, colored highlighters, and organized notes really make a difference. They can learn what happens in a study group-and that they are not just supposed to show up…they should contribute too.

Safety

Do they know how to protect themselves? We all want them safe, but do they know to stay off their phones when they’re walking? To stay alert and aware of their surroundings? Things can happen in the dark…and in the daylight. They need to know to lock their room and car doors as soon as they get in. They need to know how to elbow a potential attacker, have pepper spray ready, stab eyes and kick knees. They need to know how to say no. No to a questionable event, no on a date, no to a strange substance, and no to anything that doesn’t feel right. You can not let them go to college thinking nothing will happen. It probably won’t, but you want them prepared.

Your child will do well in college, you just want to give them the best start possible! We plan so much for getting into college, and do we spend enough time on being successful in college? (Kinda like how we plan for months for a wedding, but have we prepared for a marriage? That’s another post, haha!)

love, mom