Sarah’s College Survival Guide: Five Habits to Start Now

I found through trial and error that there are many habits we can start early on for personal success in college. While some of these tips are not for everyone, they have definitely helped me. If you’ve already got the hang of the things I mention below, then you’re on your way to success already!

{to-do list + Lilly Pulitzer mini planner}

1. Use a planner.
Before you skip over this one because you have a personal hatred towards agendas/planners, let me tell you my take on it. Whether you choose to use an old-school agenda or your high-tech phone or laptop, I can’t stress how important taking notes of when your assignments are due or when your tests are. I am guilty myself of missing a final exam. Trust me. You don’t want to be that person.

I use a planner daily, and it really helps me prioritize what I need to finish and remember when important events are. I look forward to writing in my planner by using colorful pens, planner stickers, and fun sticky tabs. Click here for some tips on how I use my planner.

{washing my sheets and towels in the dorm laundry room, taken with my GoPro camera}

2. Do your own laundry.
It’s a little embarrassing to say, but I didn’t do my own laundry regularly before coming to college. Unless you’re lucky enough to have your laundry done for you, I learned that it’s nice to go into college knowing how you want your clothes to be washed. While many of my friends put all their clothing in one load, I am personally very picky about how each one of my clothing pieces is washed and dried. It’s good to get practice doing your own laundry before you risk standing in front of the washing machine at your college dorm searching on the Internet how much detergent to use or what fabrics don’t go together.

{beautiful trail at Mt. Bonnell in Austin…but what’s the temperature? It could be 80 degrees or 30.}

3. Check the daily forecast.
My mom used to tell me before school whether or not I should wear a jacket. The weather in Austin can be deceiving, because even though it’s sunny outside, it’s actually really cold, and I don’t have time to go back home to get a jacket. I’ve seen girls wear shorts in 30 degree weather plus wind chill, because they got tricked by the clear skies. It’s important to check the weather before leaving your place, so you’re prepared to face the day wearing the right amount of clothing.

{my organizer, favorite pens, and sticky tab markers}

4. Be responsible about your school supplies. 
In high school, I was the go-to girl for both gum and pencils/pens. In college, it’s good to know you are prepared with basic school supplies, so you don’t have to ask the person sitting next to you for paper and a pencil like in high school. Things I recommend: good pens, a stapler, and a ruler.

5. Build a schedule.
You’ve probably heard this one a lot. But when you come into college having an idea of what time you wake up, eat, work out, do homework, and sleep, it’s much easier to plan your classes around your personal productive hours and make the most out of your day. They say that college is all about time management, so it’s best to start a regular schedule for yourself now, so you only have to make minor adjustments to your schedule when you get to college.

I hope these tips are helpful. Do you have any helpful habits to share that I didn’t mention here? Please let me know if you have any suggestions and comments for this series! You can find my previous College Survival Series post here. Stay tuned for more!