It is hard to believe that the summer is quickly coming to an end. Over the next few weeks, everyone will be preparing to go back to school. If you know me, you know how excited I am to return to school especially since I studied abroad in Florence, Italy last semester and have not been back to Boston since.

As my senior year approaches, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my decision to attend Boston University and what I have learned throughout as well as my experiences over the past three years. I can honestly say deciding to attend BU was one of the best decisions I ever made for various reasons.

Besides the fact that BU has a great communication program, when touring the campus and exploring the city of Boston, I knew right away that going to school in such a great city was the perfect fit for me. Attending college in Boston has given me the opportunity to take advantage of all the city has to offer and become a lot more independent.

I have some tips I would like to share to make this semester the best one yet whether it is the beginning of your college experience or just another semester for you.

1. Go into the semester with an open mind.

This will not only impact your entire transition into college, but also your ability to meet new people and learn new things throughout your full college experience.

2. Just because you start out college with a major does not mean that it is something you absolutely must stick with.

It is so difficult to tell if you are going to like a particular field of study before taking any classes and it is important to enjoy what you are studying.

3. When making your schedule (especially freshman year), be realistic about who you are.

Do not sign up for such early classes if you are not a morning person, it will make you dread going to class no matter how interesting the particular class is.

4. Make a conscious effort to know each of your professors.

They are here to help and you can never have too many connections in your professional network.

5. Get involved in different clubs and organizations on campus.

This will give you the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests and is also a great résumé booster.

6. Wait until after the first few days of classes to order your textbooks.

Not all professors give the bookstore an updated list of required course material before classes begin.

7. Make the most of being in college.

Whether you recognize it or not, college is an invaluable learning and growing experience.