Plenty of time is left in summer, but experts recommend that future freshman give some thought about school.
That doesn't mean hitting the books just yet, but rather thinking about orientation, roommates, new friends, tougher homework and public restrooms.
Most colleges and universities, however, offer orientation sessions for students throughout the summer or before the first day of classes.
"The intent is to acclimate them to the campus," said Michele Nauman, program coordinator for Winona State University's orientation, which is held a week before classes. Winona State expects 1,726 incoming students this semester. "Everybody's in the same boat."
For some new students, that boat leads to a strange place -- one that includes bunking with strangers and losing a lot of personal space.
"I'm kind of scared to have a roommate because I've never lived with anyone I didn't know," said Kellie Engels, adding that she's never had roommates. She does see a few advantages, however.
"I think it would be fun. They were probably brought up differently and they probably have different opinions and a different way of doing things, especially (students) on the international floor."
Engels, a 2006 Austin High School graduate, plans to attend Minnesota State University, Mankato, this fall, but has yet to reserve a room in the school's dorms. She does, however, plan to contact her future roommate and maybe even meet with her before the semester's start.
That is exactly what Nauman recommended: roommates get in touch before the semester begins to see if they click, as well as finding out who brings what (a fridge, microwave, TV, etc.). And with social networking sites such as Facebook, meeting future roommates is even easier.
Besides roommates, students should attend orientation sessions to meet other classmates and get to know professors, Nauman said. Those sessions, she added, are vital to learning many of the campus' policies: financial aid, alcohol, cultural diversity, time management, how to use the library and even the how-to of doing your own laundry.
Overall, orientation sessions can serve as the transition to college, but what really matters, said Winona State biology senior Jessie Graf, is the beginning of the semester.
"The first couple weeks on campus are crucial," said Graf, of La Crescent. "That's when (students) branch out. And later in the semester, they're more likely to be comfortable and enjoy their time.
That's one of the reasons that pushed Graf to become an orientation student leader three years ago -- seeing students confused about the university, but eventually growing and getting used to the different environments.
Graf also recommended that students expect the unexpected.
"Just be open-minded for the changes that are going to happen."
Nauman added that that was one of the problems she's seen -- students having the wrong expectations.
"They can't have all the same conveniences that they had at home," she said.
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