Every spring break, social media is inundated with pictures and posts chronicling students’ vacations around the world. For many college-minded sophomores, juniors and admitted seniors, these vacations include at least a few college visits.

Though spring break is a very common time for students to visit colleges, it is not the end of the world if you have yet to step on a college campus. There is still time for you to explore the place that may become your future home.

“I enjoy college visits because of the inside view they provide into the lives of students at the school,” junior Catherine Franceski said.

The opportunity to see dorms, talk with students and learn the history of the school is vital to envisioning yourself at the college, and deciding whether it is the right environment for you.

According to the November 2014 Campus Visit Checklist given to juniors by the CHS Counseling Department, “there is no substitute for seeing a college yourself.”

Pictures and interactive maps of the campus only provide a limited view of campus life.

Students are given five excused days for college visits each year, and while missing school is not ideal, sometimes being able to spend an entire weekend at a college might be worth it.

According to the Campus College Checklist, college visits include more than just meandering around the campus alone.

In order to make the most of your next college trip, here are a few important tips you should remember.

To get a feel for the atmosphere of the school, students should interact with other students and observe life on the campus.

“The main thing I looked for when I visited colleges was the atmosphere,” senior Luke Hall said. “I wanted it to be very welcoming.”

According to the Campus Visit Checklist, one can look at bulletin boards, eat in the cafeteria with students, listen to the college radio station or read any school publications on their visits.

The students on the campus are valuable resources when determining what your life will be like as a student of the college.

According to a March 2011 U.S. News & World Report article, prospective students should ask current students what they like most about the college and why they chose to attend it.

Students can also be valuable in letting you know what vices the college has. No college is absolutely perfect, and information from a current student might save you from a disappointing college experience.

Making stops at all the places where you would spend the most time as a student is a final important tip.

According to a list on CollegeXpress, an college-help website, students should stop at “quad and hangout spots,” student dorms and dining halls, classrooms, the health center and the gym or athletic facilities.

Although the college application process is stressful, college trips are a reminder of what all of the hard work is for. As AP exams will soon come to a close, students, especially underclassmen, should start to focus on visiting the colleges that will shape their futures