Everyone has dreams. Yours might be to raise a family, own a company, become a ski instructor, or become president of Plymouth State University.

If you want to accomplish them, you need a goal. That goal needs a plan. That plan needs a strategy, and the strategy needs tactics.

As a PSU student, you have access to a host of resources that can serve as your tactics to accomplish your strategic goals. Here are just five:

1. Your professors. These are your best resources. They know you, they know your strengths and weaknesses, and they can guide you through implementing tactics and strategies. They also may be able to connect you with professionals in your proposed field of work.
2. The Alumni Office. PSU has alumni everywhere in nearly every field. Connect with the alumni office staff, who can connect you with graduates who can help you assess goals on everything from the best place to live, to accomplish your goals, to moving up the proverbial work ladder. Maybe they can even offer you an internship or a job.
3. The Career Services Department is a great resource for fine-tuning your résumé and finding an internship for school credit. This means you can get practical experience and still graduate on time.
4. Online classes allow you to work smarter, saving time by not going to a traditional classroom and potentially saving money by graduating early. If you use that extra time wisely, you could have a head start on your competition!
5. Mental health is very important. Our beautiful campus has two great fitness centers, access to several mountains, and churches within walking distance, so no matter how you maximize your mental health, it’s right there for you. And most of it is free to students, which is a better deal than you’ll get in almost any job. Just as mental health is important for homework and tests, it’s critically important to find the balance between work and personal desires as early as possible.

Dustin Siggins is the founder of Proven Media Solutions. A 2008 graduate of Plymouth State University’s Business Honors Major with a Minor in Communications, Dustin has spent his post-Plymouth career in the Washington, D.C. area working in public policy, political journalism, and communications strategy. As a student, Dustin was involved in many student groups in several capacities, such as: Campus Crusade for Christ, Catholic Campus Ministries, founded PSU Republicans, Boxing Club, columnist/editor for The Clock, Student Senate, Vice President of the Dodgeball Club, host 91.7 WPCR Plymouth, PASS Tutor