Freshmen don’t need to wait until school starts to prepare for new adventures

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Ah, the many joys of summer vacation for high school graduates: sleeping in late, staying out late and, for many, getting ready to attend college.

As 2011 high school graduates prepare for higher education, their parents may be trying to find the strength to let them go.

Students go through a huge transition between high school and college, but as high school ends, most are ready to head off to college, and parents are ready to let them go, said Suzanne Luse, an education consultant in Minnesota. She aids high school students with the college selection process by helping them figure out where to apply.

“Usually by the summer before college, students are driving their parents crazy,” she said. “They are ready to be treated like adults.”

Whether it’s getting to know the campus beforehand, joining activities, scouting for internships or using social media to make connections, there are several ways students can acclimate themselves to college life before heading to school, experts say.

Brianna Gainer, a recent high school graduate from Ribault High School, said she is looking forward to attending the University of Florida because she has always wanted to be a Gator and part of the Gator Nation.

Gainer is excited because she said she wasn’t challenged enough in high school.

“College is an all new ball game. Everyone is smart.”

Although Gainer graduated in June, she has already set foot into numerous college classrooms. As a student enrolled in the early college program at Ribault, she has two years of college under her belt.

Trinity Smith, a recent graduate from Lee High School, is packing up her life in Jacksonville and heading to Alabama, where she will attend Jacksonville State University to study pre-law. Like Gainer, Smith completed an early college program and said she always planned on attending college out of state.

“College is such a great experience and I didn’t want it to be limited to just Florida,” she said. “I wanted to see other states and see how people live.”

Luse said whether you attend school in or out of state, she recommends for students reluctant to move away to spend time on the college campus before the school year starts. She recommends grabbing a coffee on campus and looking at clubs to join — anything to familiarize themselves.

“When you are a freshman, everyone is new and in the same boat,” Luse said. “Everyone wants to make new friends, and that is comforting to know.”

Before they arrive on campus, John Balog, vice president of student life at Jacksonville University, said all students should get engaged with the social networking provided by universities.

“There are multiple ways for new students to meet current [and] new students, through the university website as well as university-sponsored Facebook, Twitter [and] pods,” Balog said.

Many students, such as Smith, find their new roommates and meet multiple people through social media.

“Students are beginning to create Facebook pages to find other students that will be attending the same college,” Luse said. “This allows students to get to know people before they step foot in their first college class.”

Gainer said she hopes her involvement with some form of student government or leadership program at UF will not only help her stand out more to the college, but also to her classmates. Smith said she plans to rush a sorority to meet more people.

Although they are looking forward to starting college, Gainer and Smith said they are eager to meet new people.

“New students create bonds with other new students because they are all leaving home and attending college,” Balog said. “This shared experience helps them to create their own support network outside of those provided by the university.”

Until they move away to start college in the fall, Gainer is busy packing up her room and working at a summer job, while Smith is trying to find a summer internship. 

Balog said students who engage with their college/university outside of the classroom are generally more successful academically and more likely to be retained.

“In high school, you have your parents pushing you to do your homework, and in college, you have to push yourself,” Smith said. “I’ve always pushed myself and stayed on top of my schooling.”

Balog said it is JU’s job to provide an environment to help students grow and mature in all aspects of life. He said that by providing an environment through programs, clubs and organizations, he hopes students will meet people more easily and feel their college is their new home.

Rachel Tannenbaum: (904) 359-4693