It is no easy feat to live on your own, especially after in most cases depending on your parents for nearly 18+ years of life. So, what should you know before moving out on your own? Here are three skills almost necessary for life on your own.
1. Basic Life Skills
I cannot stress enough the importance of being able to take care of yourself independently. Specifically, basic cooking, laundry, cleaning, and maintenance skills are required for life at college. While school generally should come first, your health and general well-being are worth putting time and effort into as they will impact your academic success.
2. Financial Literacy Skills
No, I’m not only talking about doing your taxes. Money management is crucial for success outside of the classroom. The ability to save money and allocate amounts to a budget is almost mandatory for every student. College is not cheap!
3. Computer Application Skills
CHECK YOUR EMAIL! (Yes, that is ALL CAPS to get your attention).
Often students miss deadlines and important information from professors, faculty, and college offices like financial aid, plus don’t see course registration deadline reminders, because they don’t check their email.
Learning how to navigate your school’s student online portal is a must! This is normally where you will find transcripts, the registration system, holds on your account and how to clear them, and student applications used in the classroom.
Microsoft Office 365 applications such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel, plus a PDF reader like Adobe Acrobat are some of the most useful applications you will use throughout college.
At Eastern Florida State College, thanks to the college’s subscription plan, currently enrolled EFSC students can download the Microsoft 365 ProPlus desktop Office applications for use on up to five desktop and/or mobile devices at no cost.
Office 365 also can be utilized for organization. This is where all three skills tie together. Set up a system to manage your financial transactions and keep track of incoming and outgoing funds. Learning keyboard shortcuts can help you navigate software programs and computer operating systems faster!
Organization Is the Key
Long story short, organization is your best friend and will keep you in check throughout each semester.
It will even help in that all-important life skills department: Before you move out, collect your family’s favorite recipes and keep them organized in a binder (or a computer file) for cooking on your own in your new home.
- High School To College: 5 Things I Wish I’d Known - August 2, 2023
- 3 Skills To Learn Before Living on Your Own - June 7, 2023
- I Failed a Class, Now What? A Student’s Guide for Dealing with Failure in the Classroom - May 10, 2023
