I never make New Year resolutions in January.

Mine always materialize in my mind sometime between the last week of August and the first week of September. Toward the end of the year, maybe, but always the beginning of a new school year. When summer cools into autumn, the cool crispiness of the air makes people feel awake and alert and determined. Most of us make resolutions that always run along the same lines, “This year, I really am going to keep my room clean.” “This year, I really am going to read all my assignments on time.” “This year, I will not skip any classes unless it is truly 100 percent necessary.”

Every year we make them. Every year we start out strong. And every year they seem to fade away slowly as the crisp fall feeling turns into the sharp coldness of winter. Classes no longer seem exciting and a fun diversion from the 40-hour work week of summer, but routine and boring. One or two missed assignments somehow snowball into a panic of procrastination and one missed math class suddenly seems to leave us lost in two weeks of catch-up lessons.

This year, though, I think all of us really can do better. We have a myriad of resources within reach to help us. There’s a math center, a writing center and a tutoring service to help with lessons and papers. There are counselors and health services for our physical and mental well-being. There are career centers and advisers to help us plan our futures. There are professors and heads of departments to deal with specific problems pertaining to classes or teaching methods. There are Web sites like PASS and D2L to keep us organized and to easily allow us to access our academic information. Some classes even let us have discussions online.

There are Resident Assisstants and Resident Directors to help with on-campus housing issues. There are clubs and organizations to help us get out of our rooms and have a little healthy diversion. Most majors have their own clubs: The English club, Biology Club, etc. There is a campus police station and a Platteville police station, both of which have very kind and helpful officers.

There really is no reason for any of us to let things slide into the all-too-typical mess of disorganization and chaos that has us melting down somewhere in November. This year, with a little focus, we can utilize the services that come along with our tuition and stay on task. A 4.0 G.P.A. this semester will be no problem!