25 Things To Do The Summer Before College

1//Go on a road trip with friends

These are people that you normally see every day, but that is about to change. You should have an epic trip with them before you go your separate ways. It doesn’t necessarily have to be long or elaborate. I could just be a weekend trip to the beach. That’s probably what me and my friends are going to do because our schedules don’t mesh to have a long trip.

2//Get a job

Do something productive with your summer. It’ll give you something to do and will be an experience that you will remember. I feel like everyone should work a service job at some point because you will treat people better and give larger tips. You also need some spending money for all the stuff you are doing this summer. On that note…

3//Save Money!!!!

This is coming from a serial saver (As in I still have birthday money from my Sweet 16, serial saver), so this might be easier for me than others. I have a family friend who made $300 a week at her job at Burger King and would spend every penny of it. She’d say, “I can’t bring myself to save it.” I couldn’t do that. I’d be dying internally. There are so many reasons why you should save your money, which I won’t get into here. You should have just money saved for when you want something to eat or you need to print something at the library. Don’t be a broke college student just because everyone else says they are.

4//Get a haircut that is totally new and different from your usual style

I hate having long hair. It’s just a lot to manage, but I still grow it out every year out of laziness to get a haircut. When I do get a haircut, I feel like a whole new me. It’s sort of a symbol of a fresh start. I was going to wait till this summer to cut my hair, but I was getting tired of it, so I chopped it off in January. No regrets. My hair grows really fast, so it was medium length by graduation in May.

5//Make a college packing list and start buying stuff

This is pretty self-explanatory. The earlier you start, the less you have to stress about it later. You can see mine here

6//Surf Pinterest for Dorm Decorating Ideas and Make them

Who wants to live in a white-walled asylum? Getting crafty is fun and it’s something you can do with your other friends getting ready for college.

7//Contact your roommate

Might as well meet them now and get to know them. You can discuss what you expect out of having a roommate and can begin writing your roommate contract.

8//Organize and Clean out EVERYTHING! Your Closet, Social Media, Desktop, etc.

It’s time to get ready for the next phase of your life. What do you want to keep and what do you want to move on from?

9//Get rid of clothes you don’t wear anymore (Sell, Donate, or Trash)

Get rid of the clothes you don’t wear anymore. Sell the ones that are in good condition and save the money (Again, #4). Get rid of the stuff filling up your closet (both literally and metaphorically). I really need to work on this. My closet is a huge mess.

10//Create/ Update your Resume

I have had two internships, so I already have a resume, but I’m sure that most high school students haven’t been as lucky as I have in terms of these types of experiences. You may think that you won’t need a resume for a while, but DO IT!!! This is immensely important and you never know when you will need it.

11//Go to all your favorite local restaurants

Before you leave your hometown, go to all your favorite eating spots. You will crave them in college.

12//Spend time with your family

They may be annoying, but you love them. You are going to miss them soon.

13//Print Photos to put up in your dorm room

Nothing adds personality to a room like photos. Seeing photos up in my room makes me so happy because they remind me of good times and how lucky I am to have such a huge family. (Seriously, they keep multiplying)

14//Be a tourist in your own city

Go to all the big landmarks in your city. This one will be easy for me because my cousins from Australia are coming this summer, so we’ll go to the World of Coca-Cola, The Georgia Aquarium, and other landmarks in Atlanta. We’re also taking trips around the U.S because this is their first trip to America.

15//Read

I love to read, so this is a given for me. If you don’t love it, you don’t have to, but it’ll do you some good to read some stuff about “adulting.”

16//Go to the movies

Finding Dory is coming out soon. I know I’m going to watch it. This will probably be the last time you go to an actual theatre for a while. Especially since most universities don’t allow Freshmen cars. Just grab a friend or family member and go. To save money, you can go to the dollar theatre.

17//Have a Disney Movie Marathon

You’re never too old for Disney!

18//Learn Important Life Skills, such as laundry and cooking

I have been doing laundry since I was 12 and can cook for myself (I still have a lot to learn, but I will be able to feed myself well enough). You understand why, right?

19//Go to the doctor, dentists, gynecologist, optometrist, etc.

• Get your checkup

• Get your teeth cleaned

• Get contacts and glasses prescriptions

• Order your contacts

20//Get familiar with your college town

If you’re going in-state like I am, it’s a good idea to get the lay of the land.

21//Set up a LinkedIn account

I don’t have one. It’ll help me network with possible future bosses, so it’s probably good to start early. In retrospect, I probably should have done this before my internship, but better late than never.

22//Register for classes

Just get it out of the way. Also, the earlier you do it, the more likely you’ll get the classes you want.

23//Take a self-defense class

It’s sad that so much bad stuff happens on college campuses. You need to be prepared for bad situations. It’s better to be ready for the worst than be taken by surprise.

24//Spend time with friends and family

You probably won’t see them as much as you did before, so enjoy your time with them. I am so excited because my cousins from Australia are coming and we are going to see a lot of family in New York, Tennessee, Florida, etc. So excited!!! I am one of those weird people that enjoy being around extended family.

25//Make a “College” Pinterest board and fill it with tips and tricks about orientation, studying, being healthy, etc.

This will help you prepare and feel a bit less stressed. Trust me. Here’s mine

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Well, that’s my list. I hope it helped.

 

What would you add to your “summer before college bucket list?”

 

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