You did it! You finished high school, and now after a few months of summer you are off to starting the rest of your life. So here’s one of your first big decisions: Do you let the summer months just melt away, or do you make this time count? 

If you’re opting to make the last summer before you go away to college count, here are eight things you want to be sure to do: 

Get a Job: You don’t hear too many tales of college students complaining about having too much money. This is some unadulterated time you could use to pad your wallet. As you go out on your own, you’re going to need to learn about budgeting, and every bit you can save up now will help. 

Reach Out to Your Future Roommate: In just a few months, you will practically be family and likely living in pretty close quarters. Talk during the summer to get to know each other as well as to divvy up the list of who is bringing what when it comes to items you might share, like a microwave or TV. 

Spend Time with Family and Friends: Your annoying little sister or neighbor you walked to school with every day for the last 12 years won’t be going off to college with you. Be sure to make quality time for your good friends and family, who you’ll be missing while you’re away at college. 

Learn Life Skills: Does Mom always make dinner and Dad takes care of changing your car’s oil? Think about these things and others – laundry, washing dishes, etc. – and make sure you know how to do them. And don’t forget to get some practice time in while you’re still at home, just in case you need any help.  

Check Your Health Coverage: Talk to your parents and your insurance company to be sure your health coverage covers you as you think. Depending on your plan, there could be obstacles with out-of-state coverage or referrals. Find out what you’ll need to do now. 

Visit Your College: Visit the school you will be calling home this fall. And be sure to go to any orientation activities made available to you. This will help you get the lay of the land as well as meet some familiar faces for once school begins. 

Read Up: You will be busy with the transition to college, classes and more. So this summer will be one of the last times you have for a bit to read for fun. And, don’t forget any assigned summer reading for college – you don’t want to start out behind. 

Do What You Will Miss Most: Are there certain events or activities that are quintessentially home? Be sure to partake and enjoy them this summer. They have contributed to the person you are, and like those with your friends and families, these are the memories you want to take with you. 

Just when your mailbox thought it could take a breather from all those college brochures and viewbooks, another barrage of envelopes is beginning. These days, however, the mail is probably all coming from one school—the one you’ll be attending this fall! Your chosen college is preparing you for a smooth transition to campus this fall. Keep your eye out for information on "orientation", which is a period (usually before the start of the official academic year) when freshmen and transfer students spend some time on campus before classes begin in order to get acclimated to their new homes.

Sure, you might have ruled the school as part of the Class of 2009, but come fall, you’ll be a lowly freshman again. Whether you are going to a small college that fits on a city block or a large one that could house your high school in its sports complex, you’ll need some guidance learning the ropes. Enter Orientation, a highly orchestrated day or days of events that help newbies, like yourself, get acquainted with what will be your home-away-from-home for the next four years.

Think of Orientation as a GPS device that will take you through your first days and weeks at college. Orientation is so much more than showing you around on campus—that’s what maps are for, after all. Instead, administrators and upperclassmen are there to help you understand the ins and outs of campus life and get you acquainted with the usual (like the best time to hit the cafeteria) and the unusual (like what to do if you get the flu).

From silly icebreakers that encourage you to get to know your classmates to more serious discussions about how to stay safe on campus, Orientation is both fun and informative—which is exactly the point. Colleges and universities want their students to be happy and well-informed, which is why schools usually pull out all the stops to welcome new students. In fact, some schools, like the University of Kansas, view Orientation so seriously that they have taken it from a single event to an ongoing process, providing a knowledgeable staff that is available to freshmen and transfer students during their entire first year on campus.

College is a four-year-long investment, which is why it’s wise to spend a few extra days getting to know your new campus. For many students, Orientation is a great way to relieve some of the anxiety they might feel about leaving home in the fall because it takes away some of the mystery about campus life. Got questions about college? You’ll find the answers during Orientation, along with new friends and the beginning of a whole new chapter of your life.