What Your Professors Don't Tell You: Skills You Should Learn at College

College is largely about learning inside the classroom. Retaining information for tests and papers may be the biggest part of your college career, but not to be overlooked is what you are learning outside of class.

You won't be quizzed or asked to write an essay on either of these, but here's what you should grasp before you leave college and head out to the real world.

Do your own laundry. Did you really think that when you were 25 and living 200 miles away that you would still be bringing your laundry home to Mom? It is still acceptable to bring laundry home on extended school vacations, but you shouldn't be wasting gas every weekend because you can't wash your own clothes. Buy plenty of laundry detergent, learn how to separate whites and coloreds, and save plenty of quarters or dollar bills.

Learn how to make your own meals. You won't be the next Emeril or Rachel Ray, but you should be figuring out how to make more than peanut butter and jelly. You can buy boxed meals like macaroni and cheese that require mixing some ingredients, and maybe you can ask your mom for help on how to make a couple of your favorite meals from scratch.

Clean up after yourself. In the dorms, there will be a team of janitors who vacuum the halls and tidy up the community bathrooms. When it comes down to your own room or an on or off campus apartment, though, you're on your own. Set up a schedule with your roommates regarding who will take out the recyclables and shared trash cans and clean the common areas (living room, kitchen, and bathroom). Clean up any mess you make; no matter how minor. Wash your dishes regularly so they don't take over the sink.

When you are living in the dorms, straighten up your side of the room regularly. Make sure you have anything someone might trip over stored away safely, dust to prevent anyone's allergies from acting up, and close up any food so bad scents don't travel. Most importantly, don't ever let your mess invade your roommates' space.

Get as much advice as possible about your career. Your career center should have information on hand regarding writing resumes and cover letters and interviewing skills. However, no matter how much information you read, there is never just one way to improve your chances of getting a job.

Talk to professionals you admire, read all the material you can, and get practice with a trusted friend. No professor or career center counselor will be able to teach you these things; you have to make the effort yourself.

Start doing your own grocery shopping. No matter how often you do so, you will need to save enough money to purchase food and personal care items. Find out where other students go that is close to campus and offers good bargains on what you are looking for. Make a list beforehand as well; this will keep you on track and prevent you from making any impulse purchases.

Manage your money effectively. This includes saving money for any necessities you will need, deciding when to spend a little more than normal, and when to lock up your wallet. If you have a savings account, don't run to the ATM every other day or you'll quickly drain your funds.

The biggest problem college students have with managing money comes in plastic form: the dreaded credit card. Before you sign up for one, think about how and when you plan to use it. If you go to the mall, will you be able to pay off any outfits you buy? Or do you just plan on using it in relevant or emergency cases, such as to buy books?

Don't charge anything you will have trouble paying off later and don't open too many accounts; both are perfect ways to damage your credit score. A bad credit score will affect you down the road when you go to buy a car or rent an apartment.

There are so many college experiences that you won't learn inside the classroom. You can seek advice from others, but now that you don't live at home, it is up to you to live independently. No matter what decisions you make about your lifestyle, you must accept responsibility and be confident in your choices. Best of luck in your new, parent free life.