Here are some helpful lessons that students should be aware of before starting their first year in college.
Knowing these things will help students prepare for the challenges they may face on a daily basis.
- Be aware of health services, finding a doctor, knowing where to get prescriptions filled, and information on medical insurance.
- Know professors' office hours and where they are located.
- Contact roommates to discuss preferences and what items to bring. Begin to negotiate before problems arise.
- Become knowledgeable about the IUP website and college catalog.
- Talk with your student about managing finances for the following year. Teach him or her how to balance a checkbook, maintain a register of expenditures, and how to live on a budget.
- Be prepared to live, learn, and work with people of backgrounds different from your own.
- Choose foods that will provide a healthy, balanced diet.
- Educate your student about the importance of personal hygiene, including doing laundry, picking up after oneself, and respecting his or her surroundings.
- Encourage involvement in clubs and organizations and promote activity.
- Understand that college students are responsible for their own behavior and need to abide by university policy.
- Challenge students to enjoy their first-year experience and have fun!