As the end of the semester approaches, it is almost time to say goodbye to the Class of 2018. While this goodbye has been on the horizon for almost a year, there is still much to do in preparation for higher education. To make sure you do not miss a single thing, making a pre-college bucket list is the best bet to make sure you do everything you want/need to do before college rolls around the corner.

 The first thing on your bucket list should be to go shopping! For many this may seem like a waste, but that just means you are not shopping for the correct things. Post high school shopping is very different from regular shopping in that you want to look for your living essentials and your daily necessities for college life. If you are in the mood for your traditional clothing shopping, perhaps you could look for a new college wardrobe. College is often defined as a time to experiment and see who you really are, and your outfits may be the first step to doing this. While a total overhaul of your closet maybe extreme, maybe a few new outfits could be the correct route for you.

 Some changes to your daily schedule could also be a good idea in some cases. Some suggestions would be to start reading the news every day if you do not already. Try cooking some of your own meals so you can practice, and try to branch out of your friend group. These may seem like simple things, but in a few months, or whenever you start college, you will want to have had practice.

 Connecting with new people is one of the most important things to do as you prepare to further your education, because this truly is a pivotal part of your college life. Senior Rachel Gerney, explained, “Meeting new people can be scary, especially when you’ve become good friends with people over the past four years. However, as you journey through the end of senior year, like I’ve been doing recently, you start to realize that for the most part people in college are all in the same group.” Rachel also wanted to add that “finding friends is important, and it overall is a lot of fun finding more people who you can get along with and experience the next chapter in your life with.”

 Before the list is finished, make sure to look out for the more serious things as well. The most pressing one of these would be to look for internships and jobs. An internship in college could be the difference in getting a job after college or not. While it may seem impossible to find an internship, and it may be time consuming, you need to put forth the extra effort to get an internship as it will greatly pay off in the future. If you are not sure where to start looking, check with your college about any internship opportunities available to students.

 The final thing on your list that should be above almost all else is spending time with your family. Do not give excuses and do not try to fight it. Your family and your loved ones are going to miss you, so make sure to at least thank them with your presence before it is time to leave the nest. Your senior year is what you make it, so use the last few months to make something great and pull through. Do not worry, you are almost there!