If I’m being honest, the weeks/ month leading up to move in day can be quite overwhelming, especially for first time students. If you’re at this point then you probably get what I mean. There are so many things to do, so many fine details + many tasks you’ve never had to do before or even consider. It’s kinda an oxymoron because you would think the last month before going to college would be full of fun, but it actually turns into a lot of preparation + busyness. 

Let me tell you that it doesn’t need to be stressful. You can enjoy the last month before you go to college while still being productive + preparing for school. It takes balance. I’d like to give credit to Lauren Marie on YouTube for the idea of this post. If you are looking for more ideas, definitely check out her video

From this post, you will walk away with ideas of how to make the most of your last few weeks at home, while also preparing yourself to move off. Hopefully you can get some of these things done with the remaining time you have. Some of the things might be obvious, but sometimes we need a reminder of what’s actually important in the midst of all this preparing.


make plans with all your friends

Try to do something before you + your friends all go their separate ways. It can be hard to get everyone together because of everyone’s different schedules, but push to do something, even if it’s simple. This may require extra communication + effort, but it is completely worth it because you don’t know when you will see them next.

But also, if you have other friends who you have wanted to meet with over the summer, but never did or not as much as you wanted, now is time to do so. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. Even grabbing coffee or lunch together is meaningful. But once you go off to college, you probably won’t see these people for a while + it will be even harder to schedule a time to meet up. Summer is the best time for it. This was definitely my biggest regret before going off to college by far because it life is a lot different in college when you don’t have your besties around. 

make sure your tuition is payed for + your classes are set up

This is something I think most people forget. In most cases, your tuition + payment plans need to be set up well before you actually leave for college so definitely check on that. Also, make sure you are all set with your advisor: that your transcripts are all in, that your classes for next semester are correct, that your scholarships are in, etc. Just make sure everything is set up so it is much smoother when you get there. Often times people do make mistakes so it’s important to be responsible on your end + make sure everything is good to go. 

look into getting textbooks

In the past I had never had to worry about textbooks because my school would take care of it, but now, not only do you have to pay for it, but you have to order it + make sure it gets to you. It’s a lot more work than it used to be (but it’s honestly not too bad). Your classes should tell you what books you need– if not, I would email the teacher– although some do include it in the course fee; so be sure to confirm that + pick it up when given instructions.

I recommend checking Amazon, Chegg or asking a friend before purchasing it from the book store. I talked about this previously in my post on How to Save Money Before Even Leaving For College so definitely check out that post for tips on saving money on books + other things before college. 

Back to school shopping

Yes, this is an excuse for shopping– how exciting! There are a lot of things you may need to buy, especially as a freshman, so make sure you take the time to do so. I recommend checking out places that have a bunch of college items, like Bed, Bath + Beyond, Target, Walmart + At Home, so you don’t have to go to a bunch of stores– that’ll definitely save time. But also, buying new clothes, shoes, a backpack, + other things of the sort, if you want to of course. 

spend time with family

Not only will you be leaving your friends for a while, but you will also be leaving your family. I know everyone has different relationships with their family, but try to be a little more intentional in spending time with the before you go off– they may need it more than you. Trust me, it is the weirdest feeling not having your family around + seeing them only so often. It makes the times you do have with them so much sweeter. So just know that thing are gonna look a lot different with your family once you leave for college + it may never be the same… so make the most of the time you do have with them now + do something fun, like a movie night or game night or go out to eat.

Get in touch with room mate(s)

Hopefully you’ve already found out about your room mate(s) + have been in touch with them. Now would be the time to confirm any last minute details + make sure they know what you guys are sharing/ what they are bringing. Maybe even tell them how excited you are about meeting them + ask them any questions you have about school. You can check out my post on everything you need to know about college roommates if you have questions or want advice on anything relating to room mates. 

do everything you meant to do over the summer 

I’m sure most of you probably created a summer bucket list + had great plans of things you wanted to do over the summer whether it was a hobby, an activity, trying out a new restaurant, or going somewhere. I hope I’m not the only one, but a lot of times I make those lists + then forget to do most of it. I know this summer probably looked a lot different than what most of us expected, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun + finish it off well. I’ve even heard of people doing ‘completing everything on my summer bucket list in one day’ or ‘if summer lasted one day…here’s what I would do’ challenges. I think that would be so much fun + a prefect way to end your summer + do things you meant to do.

Other tips:

-print out/ develop your favorite pictures from over the summer so you can bring it with you to college

-consider how you’re gonna decorate your dorm

-start packing…and don’t procrastinate– it takes a lot more time than you think

-clean out your closet + get rid of things you don’t use… you’re already going through everything

-soak up your favorite parts about home, whether it’s the local coffee shop down the street, the beach near your house, the awesome bike trail you enjoy or even your favorite reading nook


All these things may seem overwhelming, but you definitely don’t have to do all of them– they are just ideas, not must haves 🙂 Secondly, this is just my personal opinion of things I think set you up best for going off to school + things I wish I did last year…but it may look different for your circumstance. 

Whatever the case may be, I hope you benefited from this post + that you’ll walk away with some more confidence for the end of your summer + ideas of things to do to make the most of the time you have left. And as always, if any other college students have their own advice + things I left out, be sure to share it so that it can benefit others. 

If you’ve been enjoying these college posts then you’ll be glad to hear that there are many more in the future ranging from move in day, to finding a church, to fitness + health. Please don’t hesitate to ask me your questions if you don’t see a blog post that answers you questions.

So long for now!

-Ainsley