For some of you incoming freshman, the thought of complete independence from your parents is highly anticipated. For others of you, living without your parents is absolutely terrifying. No matter how you feel, independence is coming, and that means welcome to adulthood. Luckily, I have three tips that will help jumpstart your switch into adulthood to be a success.
1.Start Budgeting Your Money
I am sure many of you have a large amount of money that you received from graduation and I encourage you to save it. Money in college goes faster than you think. Use Freshman year to start cutting out mindless spending and begin to save up your money. Whether it is taking a financial course, or just being more mindful of your spending, transitioning into the world of adulthood also means being financially stable without the help of your parents.
2. Get a planner, Use it Often.
Deadlines in college are so important. It is not like high school, where the teacher reminds you every day of important due dates. You are 100% responsible for making sure you meet every deadline, and professors are unforgiving when they are missed. So, get a planner and write down every assignment’s due date. Strict deadlines do not go away after college, so get in the habit of staying on top of them now.
3. Use University Resources
UW-Madison is truly the best school, but you decided to go here, so you obviously know that. Part of what makes this place so great is the number of resources available to you on campus. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM. There are seminars to help set up networking profiles, construct your resume, interview practice, and many more. These are all available to you for free as a UW student, so do not take them for granted.
