Top 5 tips that will help you get ready for college

There are only a couple of weeks left in the academic year, and then it's the summer break!

If we’re honest, we have slightly mixed feelings about the summer holidays this year. On the one hand, we’ll be pleased to get through another strange and difficult year, but on the other, we’ll be cautious about how we can spend our well earned time off, particularly if the lockdown restrictions don’t get fully lifted on 19th July.

If you’re feeling the same, then don’t worry. You’re not alone!

But, let’s look a little further ahead for a moment. You’ve got a really exciting new chapter of your educational journey starting with us in September. We know it can be tricky starting something new, which is why we wanted to share our awesome, tried and tested tips of things you can do over the summer so you’re ready for college.

1) Get your stuff together

Organisation is the key to everything. So planning out your first week of college is the perfect way to enjoy a stress-free week.

Try gathering all the items you need for classes, from writing materials such as pens, pencils and notepads, to more specific items such as paints or even a uniform.

You can also check out your travel routes to and from campus. If you plan to get the train or bus, make sure you check timetables as some services have been altered due to the current pandemic situation. Do you know where the nearest stop is? How will you make your way to college from there? We have useful travel information on our website for getting to Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes. You can also look at Southern Rail and Stagecoach to plan trains and buses.

We’ve got another blog about organisation coming soon - so keep checking our blog throughout the summer for more tips.

2) Introduce yourself

Meeting your teachers and classmates before you start is a great way to break the ice and help you feel more comfortable and relaxed on your first day.

Start a conversation on your google classroom or get involved with summer activities set by your tutor to have some fun over the summer. As soon as one person says hi, we guarantee everyone else will follow, and you will make new friends easily.

3) Get your mind in shape

Of course you should take some time to recharge over the summer, but we also recommend that you keep your mind ticking over with things to do with your new course. Follow interesting people and accounts on Instagram, read blogs and news articles about your chosen industry, and flick back through some of your school notes to keep your mind in shape.

You'll be absorbing all this information without even noticing, which will make your transition from school to college go a lot easier.

4) Free things

There are so many perks to being a student. Once you have a college email address, you can sign up for lots of apps that will give you discounts in a whole range of places, from clothing to stationery - perfect for preparing for college. The Unidays app is one of the best. You can download it to your phone and access discounts quickly and easily.

5) Stay up to date

Another great way to get ready for college is staying up to date with college news. Follow our socials @weareescg on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to be one of the first to hear anything that may be important to you.

We will also be posting lots more tips and ideas over the summer to help you as we get closer to September and your start date.

Finally, enjoy the summer! Make sure you take a break, recharge, do things you enjoy. Just be sure to stay safe.