Parents, here’s your sign to start preparing your high school senior for their Freshman year of college. The transition can be tough if they aren’t well-prepared for what’s going to happen.
They will encounter new people, new places, and even new experiences especially if they are living on their own or in the dorms. Plus, they get to learn how to balance classes with work and other responsibilities and extracurriculars.
When you’re away from home for the first time, all of these changes can be difficult to navigate, plus, no one wants to be the guy or girl who doesn’t know how to do laundry and is the stinky one on campus.
Teach Them Good Hygiene Habits
Some teenagers can be a little resistant to having good hygiene. Whether they don’t like to bathe often enough or they prefer not to use deodorant regularly, emphasize the importance of good hygiene to your almost college freshman. You’ve probably already been teaching them these things, but going off to college means that they may need a refresher course.
Help Them Pick Out a Good Perfume or Cologne
Whether they dated in high school or not, college is definitely the time that many young people start to branch out and go on dates. Learning the right and wrong way to use cologne or perfume can help your young adult tremendously.
Show them how much to apply, where to put it on their body, and why. This can help them avoid being the guy or girl that makes everyone suffocate from the overload of fragrance. You can even invest in a good quality option like The One Cologne which was formulated for men or Bright Crystal which were formulated for women. Wearing fragrances goes along with good hygiene.
Show Them How to Create and Manage a Budget
By the time your child goes off to college, he or she should know how to create and manage a budget. Creating a budget in advance that shows their bills and how much money they bring in can help them make wise financial decisions. If they overspend on going out to eat, they may end up with Ramen for the rest of the month if they aren’t careful. There are many apps that they can even get for their phones to help them manage all of their finances.
Make Sure They Have a Credit Card for Emergencies
As a parent, you want to make sure your child is prepared for the real world. One way to do this is by getting them a credit card before they leave for college. A credit card can be used in case of an emergency or when they need something that can’t wait for payday. It’s also important to help them understand the differences between an emergency versus self-imposed urgency to buy something.
Teach Them Resume Writing Skills
Many students leave high school with no idea of how to apply for a job or write a resume. You can help them out by teaching them these important skills now. Fortunately, there are many templates available to help your young adult through the process. You want them to focus on their strengths and how their real-world experiences may apply in the job world.
Prepare Them for Jobs With Mock Interviews
Another thing you can help with is performing a mock interview. Let them go through the process of being asked questions about why they want to work at a certain company, how their skills can be used for the job, etc. This can help alleviate a lot of stress they might feel about going off into the real world. This also includes making sure they know what to wear to an interview. Also that when your child wears cologne or perfume, they want to be subtle, not overpowering.
Make Sure Their Car Insurance Policy Covers Enough
One thing we often forget about when buying insurance policies is making sure your college student has enough coverage. Of course, following the law is helpful, but your child may also benefit from additions to the policy like roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, and more. You could even add renters insurance to the policy so that their things are covered in an insured event.
Give Them Opportunities to do Their Own Laundry
If you’re the kind of parent who just does the laundry, now is the time to give your college freshman some independence. Laundry is a major part of life, and it’s important that your child knows how to do laundry properly. They will be much better off if they know how to do their own laundry, rather than relying on you or others in the house to do it for them.
