10 Practical Things You Do Before You Leave for College (You May Have Overlooked)

This post was created in partnership with Jiffy Lube®. All opinions, images, and ideas are my own.

Getting ready to go back to college can be stressful. With everything on your mind, it’s so easy to forget little practical things that need to be done before you go.

To make things a bit easier on you, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite back-to-college tips that I learned during my four years. (Bonus – there is a giveaway at the bottom!)

Clean out your closet.

Before you go off to college, make sure to clean out your closet of anything you don’t wear. Nothing is worse than lugging around clothes you don’t wear for years of your college career. (Trust me on this one – I was totally guilty of this!) If you don’t clear out your closet now, it probably won’t happen. I personally recommend getting rid of anything you don’t think you’ll wear and things you haven’t worn in the past year. If ya’ haven’t worn it in the past year, what’s going to change this year?

Don’t pack more than you can carry.

My general rule of thumb is that if you can’t carry it on your own, you shouldn’t bring it with you. Although you may have a parent, sibling, or someone else to help you move, if there ever comes a time when they’re not there, your pretty much sorry-out-of-luck if you need their help to move something. Even though it may have taken me all day a few times, I’ve been able to move in and out of apartments by myself. I had help freshman and sophomore year, but was able to manage it on my own in my last two years.

Make sure your bank has a branch near your new school.

When I went off to college, I didn’t have to worry about having my bank branch nearby. In fact, there were two right next to the campus! (One was even in the student union.) When my brother went to college, however, he actually needed to open a new account since our bank didn’t operate there. It’s really easy to overlook this one so just make sure to double check to make sure you’re good to go!

Buy the textbooks you may need.

Take the time to look over your booklist before you go back and see if you can save on any of your textbooks. Try to find discounts on your textbooks, search for them used, or even see if your student bookstore offers price-matching!

Write important dates down in a planner.

If you’ve already received a class syllabus, write down all the important dates in your planner, calendar, or phone. This prevents potentially double booking yourself or trying to plan too much in the future!

Prepare a designated work space.

One of the things I preach to people is setting up a designated work space. Clear any clutter off your desk and make sure you have a place to really sit down and study. Don’t try to work or study in your bed – you’ll either end up tired when you’re working or alert when you’re trying to sleep.

Develop a morning routine.

If you have morning classes, get into the habit of waking up early (it takes about 21 days to make a new habit, FYI). If you get into a good morning routine before the school year starts, you’ll be totally ready to take on those early 8 AM classes.

Give your two weeks notice (if you have a job).

This may sound obvious, but just in case you forgot, make sure to give your two weeks notice to your employer. Even if they know you’re going to be leaving soon, make sure they have an exact date. Don’t burn any bridges (in case you need a recommendation later) and just make sure to give them a last-day-date two weeks in advance.

Prepare your car for a long drive.

Your vehicle takes you to many important places throughout the school year. Before I go to college, I always make sure my car is up for the long drive. As you pack up and head back-to-school, remember to show your car a little love beforehand to keep it in tip-top shape all semester long. So before you go, there are a few simple things you can do to make sure your car is ready:

Test your battery (and know how to use jumper cables just in case). Most batteries last several years, so it can be easy to forget that your battery needs attention too. Mostly, you want to make sure that there isn’t any corrosion and that the connection is clean and tight.

Replace your wiper blades. They should be replaced every 6 months, but I usually have to replace mine a bit more often since the dry climate where I go to school dries out the wiper blades as well. Dryness in the air can affect your wiper blades – so just make sure that yours don’t have any discoloration, splits, or worn rubber.

Check your tire pressure. Since I usually go over mountains to get to and from school, the elevation can really affect the pressure in my tires. To prevent blowouts, I always check the tire pressure before long drives.

Make sure your coolant reservoir has enough antifreeze. You don’t want your engine overheating!

Check your head lights, tail lights, and brake lights. I always turn on my headlights when driving long distances and I highly recommend it. It helps other cars see you when you’re driving! Your lights are essential for driving safety, so make sure they work properly!

Check your oil. Your oil keeps your engine running smoothly so check to make sure you’re doing oil and filter changes to keep everything in check.

If you’re short on time, Jiffy Lube can help. From oil changes to tire rotations, the Jiffy Lube® highly trained technicians help keep you out of the repair shop and on the road. Jiffy Lube® offers expert automotive maintenance services that are quick and convenient, helping drivers maintain their vehicles’ value and longevity. So they can take care of a lot of these things for you!

Take your car in for any necessary service.

It’s always important to keep your car in good repair, especially since some of us students have long drives from home to campus. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken your car in for a service, this is the perfect time to do so! You want to be sure that the vehicle is up-to-date on oil changes and other routine maintenance to avoid breakdowns or other problems before it’s too late. Jiffy Lube® is committed to helping drivers prepare for the road ahead so they can Leave Worry Behind® this back to school season.

In an effort to keep you on the road and driving safely, I’m hosting a $100 giveaway with Jiffy Lube! This can go toward routine vehicle maintenance or a more thorough service – perfect to get done before the school year begins! Just enter using the form below for a chance to win!