For some students, college is the beginning of personal discovery, career building or living an independent life away from “home.”

College acts as the time when limitations — inside and outside the classroom — are stretched or discovered for the first time. And while college is what you make of it, scoring well enough on a test is secondary compared to whether students successfully learn from their mistakes.

Arguably, one of the important lessons, if students haven’t learned it before beginning college, is learning to say no.

If you’re considering participating in student organizations, extracurricular activities or working extra part-time jobs during a semester, consider how much time it’ll take away from studying. Treat every opportunity as a blessing, but don’t feel obligated to dive into them.

This doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the experiences you have; but, acknowledge the reasons why you’re at college. While students have different reasons for their involvement — paying bills, improving their resumes or experimentation — seriously consider adding another responsibility to a semester.

No one has to be the perfect student, but if one of your goals is to “graduate on time,” know what your limitations are before getting involved. Students might have to accept that they can’t do everything they want in their college years.