By Michael Mackie, Staff Writer

In every student's life there comes a time when they ask themselves, "Am I doing the right thing?!" High school is an exciting time, but it's also a time to be mindful of the future. Figuring out the who/what/when/where of college can be daunting . especially when everyone and their brother has an opinion on what school is best for you.

If you're having difficulty making concrete decisions, there are people you should listen to (like, uh, your gut) and people you should avoid like the plague! That being said, here's a semi-comprehensive list of people to avoid when making life-changing college decisions:

5) Your girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other of five minutes
Okay, face it . if you end up going to a certain school just because you have a serious case of puppy love . well, that's just stinkin' thinkin'! High school sweethearts can fade, but an education is FOREVER. Plus, trust me . once you get to college there are about a bazillion new people you're going to meet.

4) Your current boss
Chances are . you're looking to land a bigger, better gig once you've scored your diploma. And while I'm sure there are currently plenty of job opportunities at the local TasteeFreeze . you are not going to be making sundaes forever. On the other hand, if you have a good working relationship with your supervisor, you may be able to have your ice cream cake and eat it too. Securing a part-time job through college is not always a bad thing.

3) Demi Moore
Demi Moore dropped out of high school at age 16. Demi Moore ended up a famous actress. Chances of that happening again are 1 in 8,443,912,619. Demi got an education in the school of hard knocks, but you can get ahead the old-fashioned way and get your college degree. Shoot, Ashton Kutcher started out at the University of Iowa . which is also my alma mater. Too bad I got the brains and he got the looks, but whatever.

2) That ONE friend
You know who I'm talking about. The person that you've been stuck with the last four years and are desperate to shake. Unfortunately, they've latched on to you like a relentless barnacle and you can't get rid of them. Well, guess what . pick the right college and you NEVER have to see them again. Except at those pesky high school reunions . but by then you'll have a killer job while that ONE friend is still working at the Bowl-A-Rama.

1) The almighty dollar
Okay . in this scenario, let's pretend money is a person. And not a helpful one at that. Just because you may not have the $BLING$ to go to Harvard doesn't mean you can't ATTEND Harvard. Again, stinkin' thinkin'. Schools have scholarships, scholarships have scholarships . find 'em, use 'em. Student loans can get you where you want to go. Where there's a will . there's a WAY to get in to the college of your choice.