By UW Oshkosh Tour Guides
Now that it’s 2017, things are starting to get real! You’re graduating high school this year, and it’s time to plan for college at UW Oshkosh.
All of the campus tour guides in the Admissions Office put our heads together and came up with our top 17 tips for getting ready for college life at UW Oshkosh. These are all things you can start doing now to set yourself up for success when you arrive!
1. Find your future roommate.
Use the UW Oshkosh Class of 2021 page to find a roommate! There are a ton of students on the page looking for people to live with next year. Of course, you can also use the housing application questionnaire itself or select a random roommate.
2. Keep an eye out for sales and good deals on supplies.
Whether you’re looking for practical school supplies or decorations and fun things for your new room, start picking up things little by little. This helps you maximize your money, and you won’t feel rushed. Wait on the big purchases, you’ll want to coordinate with your roommate so you don’t end up with two TVs and two futons! Check out our packing list, which has recommendations on what to bring!
3. Check your UW Oshkosh email often.
UWO will send you emails on a regular basis giving you important information or letting you know about things you need to do before you arrive. It’s really essential to check your UW Oshkosh email periodically (put it on your phone!) to make sure you’re getting all of the information you need. You will get access after your $100 tuition deposit is received. Emails prior to that will go to the email address you provided on your application.
4. Get a planner, and actually use it to manage your time.
There are a lot of dates to remember, so writing them down in a planner is a good habit to begin. It’s only going to get more hectic once you start classes — do future you a favor and use your planner! Don’t play schedule Tetris and overbook yourself, either. Allow yourself some wiggle room and time just to rest and relax. When you get to college, you’ll need to give yourself the chance to gauge how much work each class needs and find your own balance between school, work and play.
5. Finish high school strong.
This may seem obvious, but senioritis is real. Don’t coast out of high school, stay focused and finish strong! You’ll regret it when you have to start your college courses. Worst case scenario, if your grades drop too much, your admission could be revoked! So don’t quit now, cross the finish line of high school in stride!
6. Start planning all the fun things you’ll do at UWO.
Do you like competing in sports, playing music or creating art? Do you have any hobbies that you want to pursue or continue doing in college? You can do a little digging on the UW Oshkosh website to see what kinds of clubs UWO offers, or find out how you can get involved in activities you enjoy once you’re here! (There are more than 180 clubs and organizations offered at UWO!)
7. Teach yourself some valuable life skills.
There are a lot of things you’ll need to know how to do in college that you might not have been skilled in before. For example, it would be wise to learn how to do laundry, manage your money, use public transportation, cook food (and how long you can keep food for), etc. Take advantage of your time at home right now to learn from your family and friends!
8. Go through your closet and clean house.
You’ll have a decent amount of space for your clothes on campus, but not an infinite amount. Take the time to go through your wardrobe now and get rid of things you don’t need anymore. Then you can more clearly see what clothes you might still need for college. (You’ll be walking outside a lot more, so you’ll need to dress warm!)
9. Start making friends and get to know your classmates.
The UW Oshkosh Class of 2021 Facebook page is an amazing way to reach out to other students who are going to UWO at the same time as you! Comment on other people’s posts, start conversations, make connections, and message people you’d be interested in getting to know.
10. Look into getting a job over the summer or next year.
In addition to saving yourself a little extra cash toward tuition or miscellaneous spending money, having a job, especially over the summer, can help you stay in a routine. It will also teach you valuable skills like communication, organization, and problem solving.
11. Purchase some UW Oshkosh gear!
HAIL TITANS! Now that you’re officially part of the Titan family, you need to rep some black and gold! If you find yourself on campus pop over to the University Books and More store and take a look at our apparel selection. There is everything from hoodies to stocking hats to magnets and mugs! They frequently have sales as well.
12. Create a Pinterest board for UW Oshkosh.
Need some ideas to jazz up your dorm room? Or looking for organization / college hacks? Pinterest boards are the perfect solution! UW Oshkosh Admissions and UW Oshkosh Residence Life both have some great Pinterest resources to get you started.
13. Catch up on other UW Oshkosh social media.
In addition to the Class of 2021 Facebook page, there are a lot of other UW Oshkosh pages you can browse to keep up-to-date on campus life! From Snapchat, to Facebook, to Twitter, we’ve got you covered.
14. Release your inner chef.
You’ll have a meal plan, but it’s still fun to get creative with your meals! Find some fun microwave recipes for days you want to eat in. Or learn about what types of foods might go well together so you can mix and match at Blackhawk. (Just pretend you’re prepping to star in your very own UW Oshkosh Chopped episode!)
15. Spend lots of quality time with your family.
They’re going to miss you a lot when you head to college. And you’ll probably miss them too. Make sure to take the time to appreciate your family while you get to see them on a more regular basis. (And make sure you call them while you’re on campus!)
16. Do a little soul-searching.
College is a unique time in your life that is dedicated to becoming who you want to be. Reflect on the things that you get excited about, or what change you want to bring to the world, or what you might want to experience in life. If you know who you want to be, you’ll better use your time here (and field of study!) to become that person. You might surprise yourself with what you discover along the way. On a practical note, knowing what you may want to study before you’re already here will help make your college career an efficient one, and start you on a trajectory for success.
17. Start a journal.
You are going to have some great adventures this year. Take photos with your friends, write about your day, put together scrapbooks. It’s all going to go by in a whirlwind, and, trust me, this is something you’ll love to look back on someday.
BONUS!
If you haven’t already, make sure you tweet or Instagram #UWO2021 after you’ve been admitted! We look for these every day and reply to *every single one* with a personalized message! 🙂