Preparing for College – 5 Tips for a Stress-Free Move in Day

Preparing for College – 5 Tips for a Stress-Free Move in Day

By: Crystal May, Lifechanging Counseling

Are you a parent or a new college freshman? You can make your move-in day successful and stress-free with a few simple steps. No one can warn an incoming freshman of the do’s and don’ts of campus life better than an upperclassman who was in his or her shoes not long ago. High school students dream about leaving home, gaining freedom, and having that unforgettable college experience balanced with the perfect combination of making memories with lifelong friends, a little partying and a few classes along the way. Everyone tells you what to expect, but no one tells you how to prepare yourself to be propelled into a totally foreign environment where every decision you make can change your life (for better or for worse).

It’s been my experience that move-in day is pivotal to how the rest of your semester will pan out. If you’re a wreck at move-in, your semester will be just as chaotic. Move-in day is also important because you get to meet the people you’ll be living with for the rest of the semester. This can go smoothly or become a complete disaster, depending on how you choose to handle things. When deciding what to bring to school, and on the actual move-in day, it’s important to remember 5 key points:

1. Contact the University’s Housing Office AND get in touch with your roommates before moving in so you don’t end up with 4 mini-fridges, 4 full-length mirrors, and no floor lamps or cleaning products. Also find out how much space will be available to you so you can decide before you leave home if the extra futon is really practical.

2. Be conscientious of your roommates. Your mom might insist on you bringing your full drum set and X-Box gaming system to keep you busy between classes, but take your roommates into account and ask yourself if you have enough space for all that in your room, and will that be a distraction to them and their studies. You don’t want to be the roommate who is a distraction to the rest of the suite.

3. To make the move-in process run more smoothly, take into consideration how far from home you’ll be living. If you live in state and your parents’ house is closer than your roommate’s hometown, don’t bring as much stuff on the first day. You’ll have the opportunity to go home in a few weeks and grab some more stuff if you need it, but your roommate won’t get a chance to go home until the holidays and might need to bring more supplies. If you’re going to school locally, all you really need to bring are your clothes, bedding, school supplies, and toiletries. Anything else can be brought in later. This will cut down on how much time Mom and Dad spend in your room helping you move. The swifter your move, the easier it is for the next person.

4. Prepare your parents prior to arrival. Nothing can slow the move-in process down more than Mom crying hysterically and Dad trying desperately to connect your Internet before they get back on the road. You should say your last goodbyes before getting to school, so when move-in day arrives, it won’t be this huge dramatic scene in the parking lot while another family is waiting to unload their kid. Also, Dad should be properly briefed on all electronics before attempting to hook everything up in your room so things don’t get broken or misplaced out of frustration. Lastly, don’t make move-in a family affair. Random relatives and little brothers and sisters only get in the way and slow things down. You should say your goodbyes to them the night before and only those who are pivotal to the move should be in the car heading to campus. They can all come back and see your room and meet your roommates on Family Weekend!

5. Finally, bring more necessities than fun ways to past the time. It’s ok to bring your movie collection or some video games to share with your roommates, but don’t bring things that can become a distraction to your roommates or yourself. There are student run organizations on campus for a reason. The more things you bring to play with in your room, the less of campus life you’ll get to experience.

College is supposed to be a fun new experience for the next four years of your life. You can’t enjoy anything new if you bring everything from home with you. This not only includes material items, but also old attitudes, close-minded ideals and overall baggage that will keep you from enjoying anything different that you come up against. You can be whomever you want when you get to school, and move-in day is the day to start fresh. Make it worthwhile…

Crystal worked as a summer intern for Lifechanging Counseling, a counseling agency providing counseling for teens and adults who are stressed, depressed, and anxious. She can be reached at cmay1130@gmail.com. For more information on Lifechanging Counseling, or to join our mailing list, please visit www.lifechanginggrowth.com.

April is Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month - how is your stress level?

http://psychology.about.com/b/2010/04/09/april-is-stress-awareness-month.htm

Blogging again?

I was trying to blog every day, but I guess I just don't have enough to say? Or maybe I use up all my words at work and have none left by the end of the day.

Actually, I just want to write something interesting, or relevant, and some days (like today) I have nothing interesting or relevant to say. At least, nothing that I want to share with the cyberspace world.

So there it is, blogging again (sort of)...

Next time, I'll have more to say.

Where did the day go?

Today was one of those days where I was running around all day, helping others and never had a moment to myself. Generally, I don't mind helping others, since that is one of my strengths. But sometimes it is important to stop and smell the roses. To take time for myself. To relax. To chill. Maybe just a few minutes to listen to my iPod, read a book, or surf the internet. Well, it is 11:59pm and I am just now winding down. I have a stack of things to do (read the newspaper, pay bills, do work) but that can wait for tomorrow. I think I'll take a few minutes to read before bed instead. Better late than never - it is now 12:02. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

The Value of Blogging?

I haven't blogged for quite a while. Almost 2 years. I never really blogged much anyway. I don't feel like writing every day. But I always make time to read my favorite blogs every day. Today I decided to try to write daily in addition to reading the blogs. I want to write so I can stay accountable to learning, growing, and marketing my business. I'll try to impart something of value in my posts - a business or counseling tip I learned, a challenge to myself, or just a funny or interesting story or fact. This is my commitment to myself for 2010. Join me in the journey.

Money Breakthroughs in Counseling

I just finished listening to a call on Money Breakthroughs by Carey at Coach Tools To Go. I often listen to conference calls on business, coaching, or counseling to get ideas for growing my counseling business. As a business owner, I recognize the importance of profit, income, and value for services provided, but as a counselor, it can be hard to charge clients who are struggling with financial difficulty.

A few things I learned from tonight's call:
1. If I make more money, I can give more money away.
2. People value things they pay for. For example - I would take better care of a car that I bought with my hard earned money than a car that I was given to use for free.
3. Don't give away too much for free - limit availability, don't go over time. The service will be more valuable to the client and I will be a better counselor if I am not burned out.
4. Offer disappearing benefits (time sensitive), limited benefits (number of people), and payment plans to increase value and encourage clients to make a commitment to services they need. We often wait until the last minute before we make a decision.
5. Outsource - find college students who will intern for free or low cost in exchange for mentoring.

I want to help my clients by offering them a valuable service. They will be more committed to the process if I value it also - by charging what it is worth, giving my best hours to the business, ending sessions on time, offering payment options, and mentoring. These are my money breakthroughs for 2010.

Too Busy? Take Time for Yourself.

Our lives are busy. We are constantly running here and there, taking care of work, kids, parents, friends, pets, neighbors, etc. But often we forget to take care of ourselves. When that happens we can become stressed or depressed. Learning self-care techniques can help us manage stress and improve our moods. We are all familiar with the our instructions every time we fly in an airplane – “put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others.” This is helpful advice that should be applied in all areas of our lives. We need to take care or ourselves first in order to be able to help others.

“But I don’t want to be selfish – isn’t taking care of myself selfish?” Taking care of ourselves is actually healthy. We need to remember to pay attention to all areas of our lives – our physical health, mental health, spiritual health, financial health, intellectual health, etc. Our bodies, minds, and souls need to be nourished and protected so that we can operate at optimum capacity to serve and help others.

“I’m too busy to take care of myself – I can’t abandon my responsibilities. How will everything get done?” We all have 24 hours in our days, but there will always be more to do. If we practice self-care we will be more relaxed, able to concentrate, and more efficient, so we will actually be able to accomplish more, not less. Self-care increases our capacity to give and serve.

How do we take care of ourselves?

1. Develop healthy eating habits.
2. Get consistent sleep.
3. Commit to regular exercise.
4. Relax. Set aside 15-30 minutes every day for relaxation. Take a bath, pray, take a nap, draw a picture, write in a journal, read a book, talk to a friend, pet your cat or dog.
5. Breathe deeply.
6. Listen to music.
7. De-clutter your house and your life. Take 15 minutes a day to pick up a room, sort through some papers, or make a goal/priority list.
8. Laugh as much as possible. Watch a funny movie or television show. Read the comics or a joke book. Listen to a friend tell funny stories. Laughter is good medicine.

What are the benefits of taking care of ourselves? We will be more relaxed, confident, stronger, and more content. We will feel less stressed, have improved concentration, and a greater sense of peace and direction. We will have more energy, and will be able to accomplish more with less. We will also be a great example to others. For more ideas or assistance with self-care and stress management, contact me at jamathurman@lifechanginggrowth.com.

Permission is granted to reprint this article in your newsletter or magazine as long as the following information is included: "Jama Thurman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Professional Life Coach working in Manassas, VA, helping adolescents and women who are stressed and depressed find peace and purpose. For more information about counseling and life coaching, please email jamathurman@lifechanginggrowth.com or visit www.lifechanginggrowth.com."