You’re in your last year of high school, preparing to go to college, you are probably looking ahead with some trepidation. Will you be able to handle the separation from your boyfriend? What will college be like? Will you get lost wandering around? Jessie Moniz gives some advice based on her experiences as an undergraduate and masters student in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

1Seek out other Bermudians already at your college, or at least in the same town or city. They are invaluable in terms of experience. Meeting up with them later at college, may also help to relieve some of the homesickness you are going to feel. On campuses with a lot of Bermudians, there may be special activities planned for May 24 or Good Friday or other Bermuda-related holidays. Also, colleges sometimes provide incoming foreign students with the name and address of another foreign student already at the college, not necessarily from your country, who is willing to answer questions about their experiences. Take advantage of this, if it is offered.

2Get to school a few weeks early, even if you have to stay in a hotel or motel. Go to any orientation programme offered. Many colleges in the United States and Canada offer orientation programmes during the week or so before college starts. Some students choose to blow this off, but it is your chance to meet over students, and get a feel for the college. There are also often a lot of fun activities built into orientation designed to promote team building between you and your peers. Also, a lot of important business is often carried out during this period, such as medicals, signing up for classes, dorm room assignments. Banks may be on hand to help you open accounts. There may also be people on hand to offer special rates on computers and printers. When I was a freshmen there were also people at orientation renting out college-approved mini-microwave ovens for dorm rooms.

Don’t confuse hazing with orientation. Some freshmen find hazing fun, and a time for bonding with fellow-students, but for others being dunked in ice water or made to run around in your underwear in public is not so fun. You have the right to refuse hazing rituals, or even report them to college officials or the police, if you think they are dangerous enough. Unfortunately, many freshmen are so dazed by being in the new atmosphere, they become prey to older students, and don’t even know they are involved in hazing until it is too late. One student I know was asked to hand over a sum of money for T-shirts by older students in his dorm. It turned out the money was for alcohol for the sophomore class. Some hazing is harmless and fun, but in some colleges it has gotten out of hand and has resulted in the deaths of students due to alcohol poisoning or accident. Find out what the hazing policy is for your college, and talk to other students at the school ahead of time so you know what to expect.

3Binge drinking is not the path to college success. Keep in mind why you are in college, and how much money your parents are forking out for you to be there. Many students get caught up in the merry-go-round of binge drinking, particularly in the first year. Unfortunately, after drinking all weekend it’s difficult to make morning classes, or write coherent papers or exams so grades suffer. Many colleges have very strict policies about having alcohol or drugs in the dorm room, and you can get yourself thrown out if you are caught. Also, many colleges require you to meet certain grade standards to remain at the school.

4Find accommodation early. In some cities finding an apartment off campus can be a nightmare for a student. This is especially true for Boston. Go several months early to secure an apartment. Be aware that many apartment owners do not like students, and they like foreign students even less. Foreign students are considered by landlords to be a huge risk. When I got my masters degree in Boston, I found that this attitude included even older students. Apartments are out there, but you may have to do a lot of leg work. You may also need a surety from someone who lives in the United States. You may also be asked to pay several months rent in advance. If you can stay in a dorm room for at least the first year, do it until you know the area better.

5Be legal. Make sure you have all your visas, passport stamps and legal documentation before you leave for college. Bermudians should talk to the foreign student advisor assigned to them by the college to make sure they have everything. Be aware though that the advisor probably deals with regulations from several countries and can be confused about Bermuda’s requirements. Ask casually if the advisor has dealt with many Bermuda students before. You may need to contact the American Consulate to confirm what she has said. Again, seek out other Bermudians already in college in the country you are entering, and ask them about visa requirements and paperwork. It’s better to talk to people already there, rather than people who have graduated because after 9-11 entry regulations and requirements for the United States have been changing all the time. Be aware also that your student visa may need to be signed by your advisor before you return home at the end of the year. And if you travel to a foreign country during the school year as part of vacation or spring break, you are probably going to need your student visa paperwork to get back into the United States.

6Don’t be afraid to transfer if you don’t like the college. Don’t waste years and your parents’ money waiting for things to get better. Be aware that if you transfer to a new college, you may have to repeat classes, and maybe even a semester or two. But at least give yourself the chance to get over your homesickness before deciding on the switch. Often, in the first year, Bermudian students have to figure out whether they are country or city people. The answer may come as a surprise. My first college was in the middle of nowhere, and endless trees and woods drove me bonkers no matter how much I liked nature. I found I was a city person who appreciated good public transportation, bookstores and restaurants. Other people are just the opposite and prefer all the outdoor sports like snowboarding, skiing and walking afforded by more rural colleges.

7Find civilisation. When considering colleges, find out how many hours it is to the next nearest town from your college. Can you walk into town easily? Is there a college shuttle into town? Do you know how to drive, if it is a long way?

8Do your homework. Do some research about your chosen college before you go. Find out if your college is properly accredited. Talk to people in the field you are going into, medicine or law etc., and find out if your college is well-respected. There’s no point in going to a college if the people who are going to hire you in the future, laugh when they hear your college’s name.

9Make yourself aware of the helping services the college offers. Most colleges offer some kind of academic tutoring if you are having problems. And college professors are supposed to keep office hours, so you can come to them with questions.

10Find someone to talk to. Many students experience depression for the first time during college. You are on your own for the first time, and it’s a big change, especially if you have moved to another country. Some Bermudians experience seasonal depression due to the dramatic change in climate. There may be problems at home. Some parents choose to get divorced when the kids move out of the house. If you feel your life is getting out of control, you have no joy in anything anymore, you are overcome by worry, are having trouble sleeping or getting up in the morning, have thoughts of suicide, talk to someone. Talk to the college counsellor, a professor you like, college chaplain, dorm monitor, your parents or even your roommate. The important thing is to get help. If that fails there are often telephone hotline numbers in place that you can call and talk to someone anonymously.