As Troy and Gabriella once sang — this could be the start of something new.

As the new year begins, so does the spring semester of school. After you calm down from spending a ridiculous amount of money on textbooks, it may be a good time to reflect on the fall semester and look forward to a new one. We are given a fresh start with new classes and new professors and a great opportunity to improve both our grades and ourselves.

A resolution is literally a firm decision to do or not to do something. Whether we want to start, stop or just continuing doing something, we can all make changes to make our college experience more rewarding.

Here are some suggestions to help steer you in a positive direction this spring semester and 2016.

Actually go to class.

If want to take the time to look at your tuition and calculate how much each individual class costs you wouldn’t want to skip class anymore. When you skip class you’re only hurting yourself. You miss important class information that can’t be absorbed by coping the notes of that girl who sits next to you. Having perfect attendance is something your professor will remember when he or she is entering your final grade. And just showing up is half the battle.

Use office hours.

Your professor is WAY smarter than you or even the smart kid you are studying with. So go to them for questions. Professors have office hours of a reason and love when you take advantage of them. Making the journey to their office shows that you care. You often leave office hours with not only clarity but sometimes hints of what will be on the test or an amazing paper thesis.

Say NO to a night out.

So you went out a lot first semester? And maybe your grades reflected that. Saying no to a night out before a big test or paper is sometimes hard, but as you probably learned in the fall, there will be other nights. Don’t let FOMO keep you from your studying. There’s always next weekend. Your GPA will thank you.

Say YES to a night out.

Sometimes a night out with friends after a really tough week is exactly what you need. Don’t let one bad grade keep you from having fun. Sometimes we need to let off some steam in order to refocus ourselves for the next thing. Recognize when it’s a good idea to just go out and dance on a table.

Work out.

You probably found it hard to fit in time to workout last semester, and you probably noticed it when you went home for the holidays. This semester make a promise to hit up the gym every so often. Working out can be a great break from your busy schedule and a great time to be by yourself with some music and your thoughts. Your body will also thank you.

Enjoy the snow.

After an unusually warm beginning to our winter, we are finally expecting the cold to come. Don’t let the snow and gloomy sky keep you feeling, well, gloomy. Pull out your hats and scarves that sat idle all last semester and go sledding with friends.

Call home more often.

When you return to school you’ll probably miss a few things about the month you spent at home for the holidays. So, call home and stay connected to those who make home special.