The summer before college can be a transformative time before you head off for your independent life as a student. You can reflect, work, get organized, and spend quality time with the people you love at the places you love one last time before school is in session.
At the same time, there are a number of tasks you’ll need to complete to make sure your transition to school goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s a simple checklist that can help ensure you make the most of your last summer before college.
Table of Contents
Key Points
• The summer before college can be a good time for reflection and preparation, setting the stage for a successful transition.
• Work, volunteer, or intern to earn extra money and gain valuable experience.
• Organize belongings, donate or sell unneeded items, and clean up old academic work.
• Review and update social media presence to present a professional image to future employers.
• Connect with family and future roommates, and prepare a list of dorm essentials.
Getting Organized
Now is the time to clear out the old so you can bring in the new. The bedroom is a good place to start.
Clear out your closet: Use the summer to clean out your closet and dresser and get rid of any clothing you may no longer need or want for college. Start by pulling every single item out and making a giant pile on the floor, separating the clothing into piles to keep, toss, and donate. Donating gently used items to a local charity or second-hand shop will help them find a second life. Or you might try to sell your stuff and raise some cash.
Toss old academic work: Go through notebooks, binders, and bookbags, using the same sorting method as with clothing. Cleaning out your computer and deleting any files you no longer need — perhaps moving some to cloud storage — can allow you to enter college with a clean desktop and plenty of space on your hard drive.
Start packing: To make the moving process a little smoother, try organizing your items and packing slowly over the summer instead of cramming it all into one day. Creating boxes labeled as bedding, kitchen, bathroom, academic, and miscellaneous — maybe limiting the size of that particular box, though — then adding items as you’re organizing will make moving easier when the time comes.
Cleaning up Your Social Media
Just like cleaning out your closet, it’s probably time to think about cleaning up your social media presence, too. You may have joined Facebook groups or liked pages that no longer reflect your interests or what you believe in.
On Twitter and Instagram, it may be a good idea to look back at your content to make sure what you’re sharing is appropriate for future employers to see. If not, you might want to consider deleting it.
Finally, think about your social media handles and your email address. If possible, it might be a good idea to use your full name or a combination of first initial and last name — something clean and simple. Potential employers will likely look at this information before hiring for summer internships or future jobs, so presenting yourself as a professional might pay off in the long run.
Recommended: College Freshman Checklist for the Upcoming School Year
Spending Quality Time With Your Family
Even though your parents may have sometimes embarrassed you through your high school years and your siblings may have annoyed you since you became siblings, you’ll probably still miss them when you head off to college. Use this time to make memories with your family so you have something fond to look back on if you’re ever homesick.
Over the summer, try creating family date nights. Play board games, cook together, go to your favorite restaurants, the movies, whatever makes you all happy. As a bonus, you’ll get to visit all your favorite hometown spots along the way, too.
Recommended: 5 Ways to Start Preparing For College
Connecting With Your New Roommate
If you’re living in a dorm in the fall, you likely already know who your roommate will be. You may want to use the few weeks before school begins to prepare for the college experience ahead by connecting with them, via phone, text/email, Facetime, or, if possible, in-person.
Consider making a list of dorm room items that you can share, and try making a list of ground rules before you even move in. This could help alleviate any issues before they ever begin.
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Preparing Your Dorm Essentials
After chatting with your roommate and figuring out what you both need, it’s time to make a full list of dorm essentials. This essentials list should include bedding, toiletries that fit into a basket to carry to and from shared bathrooms, a pair of slippers to use in common areas (including shower areas), and office supplies like pens, paper, notebooks, labels, rubber bands, scissors, and sticky notes.
You’ll now be responsible for doing your own laundry, so make sure to add on a laundry basket and detergent. The list can also include decorations such as desk lamps, a bulletin board, and any fun decor that fits your style.
Becoming Familiar With Your College Town
You can get familiar with your new town even before you set foot in it by checking out local publications, including local news sites and your school’s newspaper. You might want to make a list of restaurants you want to try and local attractions you’d like to see.
You might also consider sharing the list with your new roommate so you can explore the town together.
Recommended: How to Get Involved on Campus in College
Registering for Classes
It could be prudent to check out class offerings before registration even opens. Familiarize yourself with the classes offered (such as lower vs. upper division courses) in your degree program, which ones are available to freshmen, and which electives you’d like to take. Make a list and have it handy for registration day.
Pro tip: Sign up for classes as soon as registration is open because popular classes may fill up fast.
Checking Out Your Professors Online
Once you’ve got your classes lined up, it’s time to check out your future professors. Doing a bit of online research on the people who will be teaching you could help identify any potential future mentors.
Getting to know professors can make asking for recommendations for internships and jobs easier. If they don’t know you well, it might be difficult for them to recommend you.
Getting Your Finances in Order
It’s time for the most adult step of all. During the summer before college, it’s probably time to get your finances in order. If you don’t already have a checking account, it’s a good idea to open one, ideally at a bank that you can access easily while at school.
Now is also a good time to explore — and discuss with your family — how you will finance all four years of your college education. You may have filled out the FAFSA and explored your options for funding your expenses.
Private student loans are available through private lenders, including banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Rates and terms vary, depending on the lender. Unlike federal student loans, private student loans will require a credit check. Generally, borrowers (or cosigners) who have strong credit qualify for the lowest rates.
Keep in mind, though, that private loans may not offer the borrower protections — like income-based repayment plans and deferment or forbearance — that automatically come with federal student loans.
The Takeaway
The summer before college starts can be a good time to get organized, spend time with friends and family, connect with your roommate(s), explore your new campus, register for classes, and make sure you’re ready to handle the cost of your education.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
FAQ
Should I work the summer before college?
It can be a smart move to work the summer before college, even if you have tuition covered for the upcoming terms. By working, you can save money for incidental expenses or begin an emergency fund.
What is the summer before freshman year good for?
The summer before your freshman year of college is a good time to get acclimated to the school year ahead. It can be wise to consider the supplies you’ll need for your living space and classes; spend time with family and hometown friends, and learn how your new campus operates and what extracurricular activities are available. The summer is also a good time to earn some extra money to put toward your education.
How to be productive the summer before college?
There are a variety of ways to be productive the summer before college. You might get a job, internship, or volunteer position. Or you could organize your belongings as you pack, selling or donating what you don’t need. Another idea is to prepare for your classes, if you know what they are, by securing books and looking at the course syllabus. You could also reach out and begin forging a relationship with your roommate(s).
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