The calm before the storm

The day before classes can be very stressful indeed. Sitting with time on your hands and plenty of opportunity to worry, it can be quite nerve racking. I found myself freaking out about everything from what I would wear to how I would act. The whole process was completely exhausting and definitely not productive. Eventually though here's what I figured out:

The day before classes start really is the calm before the storm. It is a time when you should be doing everything possible to prepare for the day ahead. Meet up with some of your new friends or head out with your roommate. Take some time to explore the campus and plot out your course from one class to another. If the doors to the buildings are open go in and find your room and places in the building where you could hole up and study when you have some spare time before or after class. Those are precious minutes that you wouldn't want to waste. Get comfortable and get a good night's sleep. And don't forget to shower!

Stop, drop, and go!

Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday, but as I'm a college student giving you my advice as I experience each new thing, I'll be honest. I was a little overwhelmed. Yesterday was move in day for me and about 10,000 other students who will now all call this campus their home. Move in day was the equivalent of a campus Black Friday. There were more people than space, overworked helpers, and soccer moms in jeans and sneakers determined to get what they wanted. Now that I've had a little time to recover I'll give you the few tips I have to help make the move in process a little easier the next time around.

Don't be worried about what you stuff looks like. Maybe this was a personal problem, but I was worried that people would judge me for my boxes with stuffed animals, my awkward suitcase, and my overstuffed backpack. However, once your stuff is thrown on the lawn with hundreds of other people's dearest belongings it doesn't seem nearly as scary.

Next, wear comfortable clothes. I know, this is your first chance to make an appearance and to wow your fellow classmates with your style or whatever, but you're going to need to be able to haul your stuff up stairs, set up a loft, and do some overall very physical work.

Plan to go out to eat once everything is in your room. This is perhaps one of the most important things you can do. For me, going out to Pita Pit with my parents gave us a chance to decompress after a very long and stressful morning.

Make a last quick trip to Target, Wal-mart, or Pamida. This step is key. Yes, when our band of three made it through the doors of Target it looked like World War III, but there's a reason. You're going to have forgotten stuff. For me, it was a pillow, my bike, and a fan. All completely essential for campus life. All around us other's were doing the same things, buying forgotten items and stocking their carts with snacks and goodies for the rest of the year.

Me shopping at Target. Thanks for the creeper pic mom.

And don't worry! After a long day of buying stuff, and hauling stuff, and organizing stuff your day will end with a wonderful result.

Outfit Obstruction

Before you go to college, you have to pack for college. And one of the hardest things to pack is clothes. I mean, it's hard enough figuring out what to fill you suitcase with for a week-long trip, packing for months seems like a completely daunting task. I set about today to accomplish just that today and it was as hard just as hard as I imagined.

My plan for packing enough tees, shoes, and cute outfits was ... scattered to say the least. I tried a few things, and eventually, I got all of my suitcases, boxes, and bags (yes, I did use all three) into the trunk of my dad's navy Honda Pilot. 

First I tried taking photos of my day-to-day outfits. Any time I would wear what I would consider "acceptable" I would snap a pic, either before I put the outfit on, or while I was in it. Doing that helped me figure out what things I actually needed to pack.

I also packed "groups" of clothes that I knew I would need. For example, I love to get my sweat on and I have a goal of hitting up the fitness center 5 days a week this whole school year, so I packed enough gym shirts, pants, and socks, to accomodate. I also packed a group of lounge clothes, that can be worn when I'm sick or just feeling lazy. The last group was my "hanger" group. These are my nicer clothes that wrinkle and need to be kept on a hanger or else they'll be out of operation. 

Finally, I through anything I wasn't sure about into a box. I know. I'm probably overpacking, but I'd rather do that than not have what I need to wear when I need to wear it. First impressions count, and your clothes are 95% of that.

Keep it Clean

"Cleanliness is next to godliness" ... or at least that's what my grandma says. Do I buy it? Maybe. But I do know that having good personal hygiene is pretty much a must if you want to avoid being a social outcast, condemned to spending your time with the other kids who smell like cheese or B.O.. And of course, one of the most important steps to keeping your body clean, is having a properly stocked "bathroom bucket" and using the soaps and stuff in it.

Here's what I learned from my shopping trip for the infamous "toiletries".

First, take an adult. Not because you need help picking out the shampoo that will keep your hair silky smooth and frizz free, but because let's face it -- if there's one thing your parents would be willing to buy for you, it's deodorant and body wash. (Plus, once they buy a few things they're more likely to buy other non-essentials.)

Go prepared. This is an important step. Go with a list typed on your phone, or at least a mental tally of things you'll need. The internet (if you need it) can give some suggestions, but everyone's bathroom needs are different. For example, I have to alternate between normal shampoo and conditioner and Head and Shoulders 2 in 1 or my hair gets goopy, and I always invest in super tampons for my own peace of mind. These are staples of my bathroom that many others would not have to concern themselves about. Guys, for instance, should probably NOT buy super tampons, unless they're going for the world's best boyfriend award.

Finally be reasonable. Let's be real. You don't need to buy the biggest bottle of shampoo, or a huge carton of Q-tips. Sure, buying economy-size may save money, but you won't really have a place to store huge quantities of soaps and stuff.

Realistically, this is a pretty basic thing, but messing this up could complicate your dorm life in ways it doesn't need to be.

Oh. And don't forget a loofa.

Three Days Out

If you're a normal human being who will be going to college for the first time in three days, I doubt you feel like you need advice on how to spend your remaining time. However, if you're me, an individual who's social life is basically non-existant in the summer, waiting out the final three days can be one of the hardest parts of your pre-college life. Either way, my advice is the same for both parties:

"Do things that make you feel good." This could be hanging out with your pals, spending quality time with the fam, or taking an extra long bath. If you're me, it means sleeping in until 1 PM, going for a motorcycle ride, and hitting up Barnes and Noble. Either way, the result is the same, you feel good and have a smile on your face.

"Keep busy." This means, if you have a job, work all your hours. If you have chores or responsibilities in your household, keep up with them. If your mom asks you to take a day trip to visit you great-grandma Gretchen, go for it. The less you have to do, the more time will drag and that will make these final three days feel like two weeks.

"If all else fails, occupy yourself." If life's obligations don't seem to be keeping you busy (as is the case for me) occupy yourself in anyway you can. I took up knitting and became best friends with my 30 day free trial of Netflix.

Oh yea. And I started a blog.