So here it is: College. Those four (or five or six or seven or eight) years of good friends, good drinks and good times ~ with some studying thrown in along the way. These are supposed to be the best years of your life. And they can be! That is, if you know what you should be focusing on each year.

Freshman year
Here’s the big one ~ freshman year. You’re a little fish in a big pond. You’re the new guy or gal, and everyone knows it. Plus, it can be tough for some students to transition from high school senioritis to freshman work-as-hard-as-you-can year. But we are here to help.

Alan Harrington, a student of Assumption College’s Class of 2017, believes there are four basics to ensure your freshman year goes off well.

“The top four things, in my opinion, that first-year students should focus on include, but are not limited to, their time management, academics, personal health ~ both mental and physical ~ and social life. By having good time management skills, any college student should be able to balance most of their life at college. As for academics, college may be about having a good time, but it is much more important to always remember that academics come first, and that may mean studying longer and spending more time on homework and less time with friends, but in the end, academics is paramount.”

Sure it sounds boring at first, but in reality, those first two rules are so important, especially during freshman year.

“Every first-year should try to branch out as much as they feel comfortable with; this includes participating in clubs, volunteering at events, playing in sports or intramurals and going to events such as football or basketball games or other things sponsored by the college. At these events and places, first-years will make a lot of their friends, and this will, hopefully, make the transition to college much easier,” Harrington said.

Freshman year is about making your transition to college easy. So, stay healthy, have fun and study!

Sophomore Year
First year is over, and it’s time for round two. Are you going go down swinging or are you here to stay?

Assumption College Dean of Students Robert Ravenelle, a dean for many years who has worked with many students, believes that sophomore year is an extremely important year for students.

“The sophomore year can be a pivotal year for most students as they further commit to, and get immersed in, their major. Students entering their sophomore year should look to establish relationships with professors in their area of study and for opportunities to perform research or work related to their major outside of the classroom. These relationships and work experiences help provide deeper understanding and connection to the students’ work in the classroom” Ravenelle said.

In addition, Ravenelle highlighted the importance of being involved on campus during this year, as you’ve now adjusted to the college classroom workload.

Sophomore year is all about keeping stride. You’ve made friends that will be around forever and have made ~ or are about to make ~ a decision on your career path, so keep up your performance in the classroom.

Junior Year
This is what I like to call the “Big Deal Year.” Having just come off my junior year, I have an idea of what this year is about. It’s about once again staying with the pack but also change. Major change can and will come during this year. This means you have to be ready for it, and trust me, you will be. This is the time to think about your future, internships and, perhaps, making a change to your major. Junior year is the time to focus on school, as well as the job market.

Derek Zuckerman, associate dean of students for the College of the Holy Cross, shared his thoughts about junior year. Zuckerman ~ like Ravenelle ~ believes that student involvement in groups is now more than ever important. Even more important, however, is the job search.

“In the junior year, students are starting to focus on what they want to do and where they want to be. This usually takes the form of academic major decisions and the possibility of study abroad or an internship. The junior year is where students focus on classes that are within their academic major and provide a specific direction for their career exploration. Students should become connected with the career development office and start to consider how their academic major can be connected with a vocation. Moreover, the junior year is a time when students should be taking on different leadership opportunities on campus in offices, clubs or organizations. Rather than trying to be in a lot of different groups, it is now time to focus on a few clubs that allows for greater involvement. Many students may choose to get practical work experience at an internship or participate in a study abroad program. These opportunities help students start to think about life after graduation and what they may want to do.”

Now that you’re getting older, you have to think about the job market and getting your name out there in your chosen field. So stay close with professors, former bosses and friends; they will be infinitely helpful.

Senior Year
Here it is: the big one. The make or break year. This is the year where all your work pays off, but it doesn’t mean you can sleep at the wheel. Now “job market” is no longer a dream for you, it’s a reality. It is time for you to strap in and get ready.

Take it from yours truly ~ a senior at Assumption College ~ when I say senior year is what you make of it. Surely I will be having fun with friends throughout the year, but I am also on a serious job hunt, as well as trying to end out my year on a strong academic note. Keep in mind that both mental and physical health is something that should always be on your radar, as well as maintaining your social life and friendships.

Regardless of your grade level, it is important to remember the four basics: time management, academics, health and friends.

By Kevin Swenson