The summer after your junior year of college, senior year will come knocking, come August. As the final days of summer pass by, you've got to get in some practical life stuff, to prepare for life after college, which is truly just over the horizon. Start with the basics and get books and school supplies for your senior year semesters, but then you should move on to bigger things. Doing two to three of these things before you graduate from college will make your life far easier after college ends in the spring.

1. Open a checking account

This sounds like something that you won't need until later on, after college, but in truth, there are so many different reasons why it's a good idea to open a checking account.You can get a Debit card for making purchases, you can transfer money from an online account (if you buy/sell things), or you can simply use your checking account to pay your bills.

2. Attend a masters info session

Attending an information session about your college's masters program sounds too serious post-graduation, but is actually a prime time to begin. If you start thinking about post-grad education as an undergraduate, you will end up being far more prepared than those who waited until after graduation to think about attending grad school.

3. Build up your resume

Take some time to sit down and record work/internship opportunities at some point each summer. This is especially important to consider doing the summer before you begin your senior year. The more complete that your resume is, the faster you can begin applying for jobs within your field.

4. Get a credit card

Many young people these days run from choosing to open a credit card because we have heard horror stories about how misusing them can bury you in debt. In truth, if you spend within your budget, a credit card can save you money with rewards programs and such. It's also a very important tool for establishing good credit at a young age. You will be thankful to have good credit later on in life when you are ready to buy a house.

5. Get a passport

Most people never even consider getting a passport until they are planning for a trip. However, getting one at this point in life means you'll have it if you need it for traveling later on down the road. Also, you can use it as a form of ID for applying for jobs.