Making Decisions: What Should You Be Doing Right Now? (December)

• Make your lists: Santa isn’t the only one who need to be checking his lists twice this December. Now is the time to be creating packing lists, shopping lists, and to-do lists. Make sure you check the on boarding website to see what comes in the kitchen before buying any supplies. Items like cookie sheets, plates, cups, and mug are just some of the things that come pre-stocked in the apartment. Decide what you are going to buy in Florida vs at home. If you’re driving, buying things like bedding and coffee pots will be cheaper and easier at home than in Florida, while your shampoos and such are better left for Florida, so they don’t burst on the way down. Make your lists and move on to the next point! (Excel is your best friend in this endeavor. In fact, it has a list making template that will let you check things off as you go!)

• Talk to your roommates about whose buying what: first of all, if you don’t know whose going to be rooming with who, sit down right now and figure that out. Don’t do anything else until you’ve done this. Once this is done, talk to your roommate about who is buying the shower curtain, bathroom rug, and any other essentials for your room that you won’t want doubles of! Also talk to your roommates who you aren’t sharing a room with about cleaning supplies! Instead of getting 6 dish soaps and 6 Swiffer’s and 6 Clorox wipes, split it up so each person is contributing one or two items with fewer repeats.

•  Go Shopping: December is the time to get the bulk of your shopping done, while there are so many sales going on. You want to be able to save as much money as possible for your program!

• Roommate Gifts: Now is the time to decide if you and your roommates are doing roommate gifts! Decide as a group, and if someone seems hesitant, be sure to let them know that there is no pressure! My roommates and I decided yesterday that we’re going to do them!

• Start Packing: Towards the end of the month it will be time to start packing. Start sorting through your clothes and decide what makes the cut and what does not. Packing lists can be found all over (even on this blog!) as a good place to start!

• Make sure everything is sorted out with your school: the last thing you want is for something to go wrong with school while you’re in Disney. Make sure, if you haven’t already, that you talk to your counselor about what, if anything, they need you to do.

• Make sure you’ve done everything on the November list: if you haven’t done the stuff on THIS list yet, you need to get it done STAT.