By Itopia Mills, HBCU Buzz Staff Writer

2015 is here! and there are so many great things to look forward to with this upcoming spring semester at our nation’s historically black colleges and universities that is just days away.

During the next few months students will be preparing for graduation, summer school, internships and more. Here is a list of a few things to help prepare you for the spring semester en route to success.

1. Get hold of a summer internship

January is the time to apply for summer internships. Check out websites like Indeed, ED2010, InternMatch and LinkedIn for perfect matches on opportunities in your career field.

2. Secure a job

If you are graduating in May or June it is time to get on the job hunt.

You can also check out Indeed, LinkedIn or SnagAJob for the latest job postings. Also, go by your school’s career center and do not be afraid to network. Reach out to old friends, mentors and internship bosses for a lead on any openings.

3. Travel

…because college is the last time period in your life to have little to no responsibilities and a ton of free time.

Take advantage of traveling while you can. Connect with some friends to make a travel bucket list and sightsee the neighboring states. Whether it is a few weekends during the semester, spring break or the summer; travel and make lasting memories.

4. Do schedule for summer school classes

Summer school can puts you ahead of track.

If you plan on returning back to campus in the fall and do not have any summer plans yet, think about picking up a few credits during the summer. If your school has blocks of classes during the summer you can take classes during the first block and work or intern for the rest of the summer.

5. Schedule for admissions testing

If you are graduating in spring, summer or fall, plan now for testing. Whether you are taking the GMAT, MCAT, GRE or LSAT it’s important to plan ahead. A site like BenchPrep is a great tool for test preparation and planning. Planning ahead will help you figure out all of the details from registration, fees to test location and date.