Preparing for college, yeah it’s a huge deal! Every fall, hundreds of thousands of Canadians start their first year of post-secondary. Going from a high school in your own community, to a university or college potentially hundreds of kilometres away, is an adjustment some might find difficult. Maybe you’re asking yourself, “Am I even ready for college?” That’s a big question that can be tough to answer. To help calm the nerves, here is some basic pointers you can keep in mind:

Do you Feel Comfortable Stepping Out on your Own?

No matter if it’s post-secondary in your hometown or if you’re going to be on the other side of the country, you need to be comfortable enough to be out on your own. You might be intimidated by the idea of leaving family, friends, and what you’ve always thought to be ‘home’ behind. At some point though, everyone needs to take that step. The wonderful thing about post-secondary, with this in mind, is that most people arrive there not knowing anyone. That means that everyone’s in the same boat so there’s that opportunity to make friends and build connections with people who are all away from family and home.

Are you OK setting a Boyfriend or Girlfriend Aside to Follow your Dreams?

What stops many people from feeling like they’re ready to attend college is a relationship. Post-secondary requires you to make some tough choices. No one is saying you need to break up with your boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner. As a matter of fact, more and more young Canadian couples are choosing to pursue long distance relationships. If you go that route, remember, there’s text, there’s Skype, and there’s vacation breaks year-round. If you can make it through that as a couple, you make it through anything.

Are you Going to be Mature Enough to Set Aside Partying in Favour of Studying?

The temptation to party the night away is strong sometimes, no doubt. And it’s not a bad thing to have a little fun; but it needs to be measured. You’re not there to just have a good time. Yes, have a good time but also consider when you need to study. If you’re not ready to dedicate yourself to a subject of your choosing, simply put, it’s not worth the expense for you to go.

Are you Willing to Take on the Debt?

Going to post-secondary just for the sake of going is short-sighted. Know what you’re going for. Get in and get out. Why? Because it’s costing a fair bit of money. Though government policies are always changing on assisting with the cost of post-secondary, as of right now, there’s still a significant cost for most people. Don’t blow it away on something you’re not really “into” or on a subject that you don’t know if you can dedicate years of your life to. It is normal to change your mind when in post-secondary, but be smart about your decisions and make sure you are doing something you love.

If You Feel You’re Ready for Post-Secondary, Have as Much Fun as Possible!

If you are comfortable with your answers to these four questions, get excited. Post-secondary is a blast! Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can, get involved, and be ready to explore a range of different experiences and subjects. This time in your life is really about getting to know who you are as a person so take full advantage!