With the end of the school year approaching fast, this signifies the last few days that seniors will be around school. Even though a chapter of their life is coming to a close, a brand new one begins. That chapter is none other than a new life in college/university.

So what are seniors doing to get ready for college? This question marks a transitional phase from the long process of searching and applying for college to  preparing to move into dorms (unless the student is staying virtual). For certain students this phase began in winter, when the letter of acceptance of either Early Action or Early Decision was enough for the student to announce their attendance to that university. Others didn’t begin to think about the specifics of college preparations until around May 1, which is the deadline for seniors across the United States or even students abroad to announce where they will be attending college. “I thought it was best to do ED to Tulane because it was my top choice. I’ve visited a few times and really liked the campus, so I’ve thought about living there for a while now,” senior Sam Greenblatt said.

There’s a lot to account for when deciding to stay on campus as a freshman student. These things include picking from various meal plans, dorm buildings, classes and roommate candidates. Unless the student knows how to cook and has a kitchen in their dorm room/apartment building, deciding between the meal plan options is a common activity. The seniors also have to consider where the dorm buildings are located around campus, and factor in things like walking distance to their classes or other nearby facilities before they choose where they want to stay. Of course, it is a popular decision to not spend the next four years living alone, so students tend to room with someone, whether that is in a dorm room or an apartment outside/near campus. “My roommate and I started talking from the facebook groups when Wisconsin was in our top two choices. We ended up committing on the same day and we facetimed each other and decided we would be really good roommates,” senior Nadia Emran said.

Another important step as the time to the first day of class gets closer and closer is visiting the campus beforehand. Whether that means going for a college visit before making a decision or going there over the summer to see the campus again, it is crucial for the future students to get a glimpse of the environment they will be spending their next couple of years in. “I visited the Georgetown campus once on a guided tour in February 2020, and then went twice with my parents on our own in April. I really enjoyed how it’s close to D.C. but has its own campus feel,” senior Jeremy Ullman said.

As a senior myself, I have not visited the Boston University campus but I am planning on doing so over the summer. Like these seniors expressed, there is a great level of excitement, but a great deal of preparation is required as our class is shifting to this new reality of college life.