As Summer 2017 comes to an end, many students are either anxiously awaiting the start of the semester or dreading the amount of work to come. Regardless of whether or not this is your first semester of college or last semester, here are few things we should all remember as the semester starts up:

1. Grades do not reflect your value

Even though we are all striving to get A's in our classes, it is important to remember how grades are not the only critical aspect of the college experience. I am not saying it is not important to try your best amongst all of your classes, however, it is important to live at the same time. After you walk across that graduation stage, your grades are not what you are going to remember. The people, your self-growth, and adventures are what you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

2. Be open minded

Regardless of whether you attend a university that has 24,000 students, as I do or a small private university, every student has their own story that they want to share. We all have backgrounds that have shaped our views. However, we need to learn to respect others for what they have to offer. It is impossible for all of us to agree on everything, but we can all learn how to keep an open mind.

3. Set new goals

For those of us returning to college, it is time for us to set new goals. Even though you may be sick of undergrad and are anxiously awaiting graduation and what is beyond, you still have a whole academic year worth of growth. Setting goals for the semester will not only show what you have achieved but also make the semester go quicker. For example, last semester I set the goal of getting involved in Residence Hall life and am now starting training to become a Resident Hall Assistant.

4. Try something new

In the midst of the semester, it can seem as though there is no time to do the stuff we want. Between academic work, on or off campus jobs and the hunt for internships, students often lose sight of the same excitement they once held as freshmen. Therefore, I think it is important to try something new each semester. It can be as small as rearranging your schedule so you do not have classes on a specific day or as big as deciding to get involved in Greek life. No matter what it is, give yourself the opportunity to try something new.

5. Meet new people

Even though most people establish their friend group at the beginning of the semester, whether it is one other person or a group of 20 people, it is important to let new people in. As mentioned before, everyone has their own story that they want to share. Therefore, it is important to give everyone a chance and allow them to add something to your own outlook.

Rather than allow college to feel as though it is the same thing every semester, let’s try to change not only our college experiences but others as well. A little bit of change and forethought will carry you a long way.