By Cody Daniels/reporter

It’s always important to choose the surrounding people in life. In college, however, the decision becomes most important, and its consequences become the most unrelenting.

Wherever a student goes to school, college is a gateway point. Only 31 percent of first-time-in-college students attain either a bachelor’s or associate degree in 150 percent of the normal time allotted, according to the Education Department.

Most of these students, statistically, will not end up with their degree, indicating most are wasting time in an already short life span.

The choices students make in their new friends while in college will directly affect their behavioral habits over time. Habitual behaviors in controlled environments like academic schedules latch on quickly but are much harder to break.

These little habits will decide where one lies statistically in two or four years, or worse.

In college, cliques and other social boundaries have usually been broken down simply because of maturity and the invasion of real-life worries, stress and problems. This means that even more than high school, academic obstacles like drugs, carelessness and pressures become more prevalent.

College is supposed to be a time of experience, fun and learning from mishaps, but many people have a hard time with healthy balancing. Many students are experiencing freedom for the first time. Once fun is had, it’s easy to fall into a downward spiral.

It’s easy to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time as well, and friends can change environments for the better or worse. Messing up an education is just the first wrong turn.

Students should choose friends who are fun but will also let them know where the line is when the time comes.

Good friends balance time wisely and have a curiosity to experience but more desire to accomplish what they want in life.