As a college student, I’ll be the first one to admit that – occasionally – I take the education I’m earning for granted . Like my peers, I sometimes have the attitude that some classes I’ve taken probably won’t help me in the long run. Or at least that’s how we justify it. But how can we be sure this won’t help?

If you ask a PR student what they do in college, they will probably say they are involved in extracurricular organizations and intern, while takes classes. But if you ask an engineering student, they will say they are taking a full load of courses in science and math. Of course, public relations requires a lot of outside learning, but being successful in the classroom is often overlooked.

Here are some resolutions (I’m hoping to accomplish these in 2010, at least) for students relating to school and how they can help you down the road. After all, school is important, too.

1. Make one class assignment worthy of your portfolio. It’s easy to brush off class assignments, especially if the professor grades easily, but putting in a class project to your portfolio with demonstrate depth to potential employers.
2. Learn to lead [and to follow] in a group project. When you lead student organizations, you have to remember how to follow, too. This can be a skill developed in class. Especially when you graduate to the bottom of a company, learning how to follow is essential.
3. Take a class outside your comfort zone to develop a new skill. Part of why I study political science is to enhance my research and analysis skills, and I actually enjoy this aspect of public relations.
4. Prioritize your classes, jobs, internships and other activities equally. Especially if you end up in an agency, learning how to equally balance and effectively prioritize will be part of your job every day.
5. Get to know a professor and offer your help on a research project. Your teachers will probably know a lot of professionals, and offering to help is a great way to build your network.
6. Do well enough in a class that qualify to be a teaching assistant. More than anything else, I have found that teaching someone else about public relations enhances my knowledge of what I’m teaching, especially when I’m asked questions.

How else can you use your classroom experience as a professional experience? Anything else to add to the list?

Photo by Robert S. Donovan on Flickr.