Next month, thousands upon thousands of young men and women will begin their college careers.  And lots of budgets are sure to feel the kuh-RUNCH of higher education’s cost.

I personally know a few of these wide-eyed, college-bound students and have wanted to send them off with something more valuable than say, just a Target gift card, a shrink-wrapped dictionary ‘n’ thesaurus combo or an eraseable wall calendar (although, those can all be great additional gifts, too!). 

In my experience, I’ve found that what I hold most dear is something that didn’t cost the giver a thing:  the wisdom imparted to me by those who have lived more life than I have. 

So in thinking about my own college experience, I racked my brain and wondered what nuggets I could share with those younger than me.  What do I know now that I wish I had known before starting college?  Or What was the best advice I got while I was in college?  Or What do I wish had done differently in college? 

Well, my pea-sized noggin could only come up with so much, so I cast a wider net and asked many friends and colleagues what kind of advice they would dispense to unsuspecting college students who are about to make this major transition in their lives. 

And to say that I received a rich return is an understatement!!!  Seriously.  I really wish I had read through this genius list of advice and life lessons before I went to school years ago.  But since I can’t time-travel, I’ll choose to help others by passing along what my astute friends and colleagues have learned about navigating the college years. …

Friends and fun are very, very important, but you must always be checking yourself and asking, “Is this person getting in the way of my ultimate goal?”  Relationships for a lifetime are big benefits from these four years, but one or two people whose only role is to keep you from going to class can really throw a wrench into the process.

Your GPA matters.  If you think it doesn’t, and end up with a 2.3, and then later decide to get an MBA, you’ve made it much harder on yourself to get it.

If a girl or boy seems crazy, clingy, unbalanced … don’t date them.  Seriously.