You’ve just got over with school and secured admission in your choice of college. But now, what do you do? This waiting period of a few months can be extremely boring. However, here are a few tips to not waste this time and yet enjoy.

1. Relax and Rewind.

It’s been an exhausting period of finishing high school. Enjoy. Do what you’ve been meaning to do for the past few months. Catch up on your favorite TV show (GoT season 6?) Read the Harry Potter Series again. Devote some time to yourself and prepare yourself for the next big chapter of your life.

2. Finish your college responsibilities.

If you’re planning to study abroad, finish your visa process as soon as possible. Nevertheless, plan your courses and the first year. Research on your college. Talk to seniors at your college, ask about their daily routines. Be prepared to tackle the upcoming workload. If the waiting period between your high school final exams and 12th grade exams is too long, be sure to revise some of your coursework before you go.

3. Try something new

Take an online course on Jazz music. Learn a computer science skill. Join a book club. Take scuba diving lessons. Do something that you’ve never done before. Experiment and take risks. This time is never going to come back. A good idea before starting anything new is to google it by saying “things I wish I knew before I started —“. You’ll learn about people’s experiences and calculate the risk as well.

4. Meet your friends and family

It’s always a good idea to meet your people. You may not find time for the next many years. This is a good time to bond with them. Revisit old stories while creating new memories.

5. Go on a trip

Board schedule can be taxing. Maybe you’ve been stuck at home( like me, haha). Take a small trip to anywhere nearby, away from your place of stay. You could even go an adventure alone. Meeting new people and traveling to a new destination can be an enriching experience.

6. Give back to the community

Now is a good time to serve the society. Help out your servant’s child in his study. Go to the nearest NGO and ask if you can help in any way. Clean your surroundings. Try to use your skills to serve the society. Take the initiative to help out in any way possible.

7. Stay Fit

Don’t just sit and dread the Freshman 15. Even if you’re not sporty, start being active. Pursue any sport that you love or hit the gym. Try out Zumba classes or any form of exercise for that matter. But most importantly, eat healthy and try not to become a couch potato.

8. Be Independent

Going to college does not mean that you are an adult, unless you start taking your own responsibilities. Start cleaning your own room, getting your own grocery, doing your own laundry, waking up without your mom screaming and cooking for yourself. It may seem annoying now, but you would learn it’s true value once you don’t have Ramu Kaka ( your support system) at college.

Simran Bhatia