3 Tips on Learning Independence for College
by David H. N., PhD
College is a unique time during which teens are expected to learn independence while living away from home. Here are 3 tips below to help you on independence!
What does independence mean? It means things like paying your bills on time, knowing how to take public transportation, and knowing how to find an apartment that fits your budget and transportation methods.
Tip 1: Set Reminders on Your Calendar for Monthly Due Dates
This seems very basic, but you would be surprised how many teens don’t know how to do it well. In the age of email and smartphones, everyone has access to a free calendaring system at their fingertips.
This calendaring system can sync with the calendar apps on your smartphone and track events for everything in your life, such as midterms, quizzes, and monthly due dates for rent.
Calendars allow you to set reminders that will appear as an email, text, or popup bubble on your screens. It is good practice to set 2 reminders for each major event, with 1 reminder seven days before the event, and a second reminder 2 days before an event. It’s up to you, to decide how you like to remind yourself of things.
Tip 2: Know Public Transportation Routes and Hubs
Many college towns have great public transportation mechanisms, such as public buses. Public transportation systems often have color-coded maps for major routes. It is important to know the names of the main routes and the major stops/stations.
Most importantly, you should know the names of the stop or stations that are transfer hubs, where one train will stop right on time for you to get off and hop onto the train of another route.
Transportation routes often run only in two directions: north-south, east-west. So, you must know where to get off so that you can change the direction of your travel.
Consider downloading transit apps on your phone to get around, like the official BART app in California or other local apps for bus lines near your college.
Lastly, it’s important to know which stations in areas have high crime rates, so that you avoid traveling alone at night. Local police websites that maps crime locations can give you a good idea of which bus stops or train stations are high risk for crime.
Tip 3: Learn to Shop for Room and Apartment Rentals
Not all colleges will guarantee that you can live in a campus dorm for all four years, so it’s important to be able to know how to find a local room or apartment to rent.
There are many websites that list rentals, including private ones just for university students. Private ones are generally safer than Craigslist because only students with a verified university email can post on them.
With rentals, never work with a landlord who cannot meet you in person at the apartment and who has the keys to let you in. If possible, it’s best to see the place in person before sending any money. There are plenty of online guides to walk you through the apartment rental process.
Learning independence as a young adult is a very different skillset than what it took to get A’s in school or a high SAT score.
We hope these 3 tips on learning independence before college can help you avoid any future headaches that would distract you from learning!
