You’re a sophomore. You now have three semesters under your belt, and you’ve finally gotten a handle on the typical college life packed with classes, homework and a social life.

Classes may not seem so hard, but make sure to put in the work. If you’re not putting in the effort now, it’s going to be more difficult to handle the stress of classes in your junior year. Not only are classes getting harder, but they require more time spent on homework and you will be expected to remember the information you learned in your first two years on campus.

If you have to spend time doing the work, you may find yourself calling the library your “second home,” and there is nothing wrong with that. The library has every resource you could possibly need, ranging from books to computers and from newspapers to Sacred Grounds. Encourage your friends to go with you and have study dates, as long as you get work done.

Being a part of a group of friends is important. They help reduce your stress when life feels like it’s gotten too far out of your control. When you need to escape from homework and drama, they are the people who will take you to Coldstone at midnight and keep you up late watching movies.

But if there is anything that I learned so far in my junior year, it is that sleep is necessary and very important. That applies to all students on campus, not just juniors like myself. Four to six hours per night isn’t enough to operate at 100 percent. It isn’t good to crawl into your bed at 2:30 a.m. and wake up early to finish homework or go to class.

College definitely is the time of our lives. There will be moments you never forget and there will be times you wish you could remember. You’ll see people come and go and remember the importance of your college friendships, but until you graduate, focus on the here and now at Spring Arbor University. It’s the stepping stone to our future, and amongst the memories we should focus on our education, too.

[WRITER’S NOTE: ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE DECEMBER 2011 EDITION OF “THE PULSE”]