AACC students who plan to return to campus next fall should take advantage of on-campus resources during the summer to get into a productive mindset before school starts.

Although some students will graduate in May, many will return to the college for the second, third or fourth year in a row. Some students might register for fall courses with more than four years of credits under their belts.

While it is important to take summer break to unwind, don’t let the beach waves wash away your focus.

Guidance counselors and advisers are available during summer hours to help students. Consider visiting one after finals to discuss your plans and goals for next school year.

But don’t expect this pre-summer advising session to stick with you as you sunbathe and drink by the pool.

Plan an additional mid-summer session with an adviser to check in and see if your aspirations have changed at all as you’ve had time to let the end-of-term stress sink in.

Make sure you have an end goal in sight, so you and your adviser can plan your classes efficiently.

Ask yourself if you want the college to be a stepping stone to a four-year school or if you are taking classes to build skills that will help you learn a trade or start a business.

If you are returning for your second year or semester, focus on short-term goals. Make sure you sign up for all of your prerequisite classes first, so you can go on to a four-year and start taking more interest-based courses.

If you’ve already been at the college for many years, focus on your long-term goals. Ask yourself why you came to the college in the first place and reflect on whether you think you have achieved what you’d hoped to by now.

Maybe you still don’t know what you want to do and you are signing up for more classes because AACC is a familiar environment for you.

Try using summer break to think about new ways you could approach your education in fall 2019.

For example, if you have been taking art classes here for the past five years, only sign up for ones that will get you closer to a degree. Try seeking internships at local galleries or working in the lab spaces here to help tutor other students. Don’t haphazardly take one elective class after another without reason or drive.

Maybe you aren’t seeking a degree. Still, you should make a conscious effort to find a focus. Take a step back this summer and really think about what you want out of community college, because it may take you more than two years to get there.

The classes you take in college won’t feel so much like work if they revolve around your passions. Find a passion or study of interest this summer and set a plan to chase it with focus next year at AACC.