What’s a better way to spend your college weekend than sleeping all day and watching TikTok? The truth is, anything is better than this. 

You’d be better off spending the two days allotted to us touring universities or doing something to aid your future– not scrolling on TikTok. 

October 13-16th was our first college weekend for the 2023-2034 school year. During this break, senior Grant Bettle visited FSU and had the opportunity to explore his potential future college as well as catch an FSU football game. Bettle shared his view on why you should— wait for it— actually visit schools during college weekend.  

“If you’re gonna go to a college, you might as well see it first. if you’re gonna see it first, you might as well go during college weekend when you have the free time.”

Why are college visits important for high school students? Visiting the campus is the best way to figure out if the school is meant for you or not. Going to college isn’t the same as going on vacation—  you can’t just look at pictures and determine if the place is a fit for you. Sometimes, the atmosphere at the school isn’t ideal for you, which is something you wouldn’t have discovered from a mere Google search.

During College Weekend, Junior Christina Collazo chose to spend her time hanging out with friends and going to the beach. Collazo regrets not taking advantage of the opportunity to visit colleges of interest 

“It would have been better to get a firsthand experience at a university and meet more people,” Collazo said.

So juniors and seniors, instead of wasting your college weekends and breaks, you should take advantage of the free time. Preparation for your future is key, and the earlier you start, the better prepared you’ll be. 

However, traveling out of state to visit schools can be expensive, and even traveling inside the state isn’t cheap. Sometimes students and parents can’t afford or don’t have the time to take a day or two to travel, which is why you should discuss options with your guidance counselor to conduct a plan for exploring colleges. 

Head of College Counseling, Mrs. Hasbrouck, has noted the importance of making use of these breaks and is continuously encouraging students to seek guidance when it comes  down to the big decision. Mrs. Hasbrouck explains how information on college websites tends to blur together after a while, but when you are able to actually step foot on campus, it makes it easier to visualize yourself as a student there. 

According to Discover, if you can’t afford to pay the travel fees to visit a college, you can always reach out to that school for some help. If a school has expressed interest in you, then they might offer a stipend to pay for airfare. If this is the case, contact admissions officers and explain your situation.   

However, if you can’t visit a university due to expense or limited time, Mrs. Hasbrouck has a solution for you.

“Understandably, not all students are able to tour every college they’re interested in, so taking advantage of virtual tours or logging into sites like CampusReel are other ways to get a more in-depth look into a college or university.”

A campus visit provides students with the opportunity to get a firsthand view of the college lifestyle and student life while introducing them to on-campus clubs and programs. Looking at a college website or brochure can only do so much to provide information. Visiting allows you to walk around, observe a class, and meet teachers, which is something you can’t experience online. You also get the opportunity to ask students and faculty questions and make friends: potentially, with future classmates. 

As we know, you start preparing for college the second you step into high school, which can be overwhelming. For freshmen and sophomores, it’s not common for colleges to include underclassmen in their tours; however, checking out schools as underclassmen can be a great way to get ahead and find the perfect college for yourself.