My Advice for Freshmen Moving to College [part 2]
Still on the topic of tips for moving to college, here are some of my key tips. Remember, preparation is the key to a smooth transition to college.
The most important skill you can build on before going to college is your ability to cook. Cooking is such an important skill to have when you leave home and is a vital skill for any student. You don’t want to end up spending most of your student funding stipend on having food or ready meals delivered. Learning to cook is a much healthier and cheaper option. Try to have at least five meals that you can write down and perfect before you move. It will really help you. Learn to cook recipes that you like to eat because it will make it more fun. Get that favorite recipe from your parents that you love and learn how to cook it!
Another key tip is meal preparation and planning. Planning your meals is such an important skill to have and will ensure you don’t open your fridge and have nothing for dinner. A great way to plan meals is to make a shopping list before your weekly shopping spree and use up all the ingredients you buy. This skill comes with practice and can be useful when trying to stick to a weekly budget while in college. But don’t worry, you’ll learn how to do it over time.
My last piece of advice from this blog relates directly to Scotland and the weather. It is so important to research the weather that is usually throughout the year in the city where your university is located. I had underestimated how cold a Scottish winter would be when I moved from England to Scotland for university. So be sure to bring a very warm winter coat and plenty of layers for the colder days as Dundee will be extremely cold. In my freshman year of college the winter jacket I brought was not warm enough and my dad drove all the way back from England in a brand new jacket to keep me warm in winter. So be sure to pack enough winter clothes as if you were traveling to the North Pole itself!