As we approach the end of this school year, we must remember that we will soon be going off to different stages in our lives. Some of us will be going off to college while some are returning to college again and finally some are even going off to work in their defined fields. To those heading off to college for the first time this fall or to those returning, college can still be a challenge, especially if you transfer or if you recently changed majors.

My advice for everyone is to think of where you want to be five years down the road, and not just to think of what will happen in one day at a time. [I know that most of us have probably heard about doing this before; however, it truly works.] Once you have your plan on what you want to be doing in five years time, make a list of what steps you need to do to accomplish your goal. In this goal setting step, try and be specific and not vague. An example of a real goal is 'I am going to get a 'B' on my writing class,' while an example of a bad goal is 'I am going to pass all of my classes.' The reason that the second goal is not the greatest goal is that it does not tailor itself to your primary goal and is not specific enough.

Now that you have your five-year goals and your semester goals of how to accomplish them, all that is left for you to do is plan your weekly schedule out and stay committed. When you plan your college schedule, I suggest that you should have your classes close together, no more than 50 minutes apart, or your mind will not be as sharp as it was in the previous class.

Another thing that is important for some people is to know when they work best; if you are a night owl, like me, consider taking classes a little later in the morning and not at 8 a.m. There are times when your major requires a class that is only held at 7:30 though, and at that moment, I advise you to set alarms (five to 10 for me) and to have a roommate that's nice wake you up as well. Don't wear yourself out on nothing but school, relax, enjoy college and spend time with your peers. I am not saying that you should go out and get drunk, because in the long run this won't work out well. Instead, if your school is having a student gathering you should attend so that you can be active and enjoy the experience. A good example of things that you can attend (or start on your campus if not available) includes sports activities, movie nights, plays, talent shows, art exhibits and even just hanging out at the basketball court.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I have is this: Try to really get to know other people. The college experience is something that you get out exactly what you put into, so if you invest in your relationships, you'll find something good come out of that. These relationships can last a lifetime and be helpful to both of you. Another example of getting out what you put into college includes homework and reading. When the teacher gives you the syllabus, they are giving you the future of your life in that class. This future knowledge of what is happening throughout the semester enables you to study and plan ahead for your future activities. Once you get through your first few, you can actually plan out your free time, classes, work and study time.

Don't miss out on the college experience! There are mainly four years of this, so make sure you get out of it what you want to. If you don't put good things into college, then you will run into problems down the road when you try to get a good job. Remembering this though is hardest when you are actually in the dorm; however, if you make the resolution to try your best before the semester starts, you will see results in what you learn from that year in college.