Being prepared for college helps you feel more confident about yourself, and will make the transition to college life smooth. Most of the time students spend a lot of time preparing for the studying aspect of college, but not for the fact that you no longer have parents there to help and support you. If your kid is about to go to college, here are 3 essential things she should learn.

How to do laundry

You might think she’s got the basic idea down, but there's more to laundry than just stuffing it all into a washer and throwing some soap in. Not knowing how to do laundry can turn your favorite white shirt pink, shrink your only sweater into a doll outfit, or turn the laundry room into a bubble bath.

Teach her kid how to do laundry, so her stuff will stay clean and usable.

How to microwave cook

Maybe you expect your kid to live out of the cafeteria, but the cafeteria may not always conform to their schedule. Learning to make more than frozen burritos in the microwave is a handy skill that will come in handy.

How to budget

Whether she is digging for change in the couch cushions, or trying not to spend her student loans on non-essentials, learning to budget is a valuable skill she will take with her for her whole life. Unfortunately, not everyone learns how to save, or to hold back when they're flush with cash. If she has never had a large sum of money before and plan to use student loans to help pay, learning to budget is more important than ever.

Practicing these strategies before you kid move to college can help her be better prepared, so she can get the most out of her college experience.