>> Try to get some internships if you can.
Even if you're at the university, ask your professors if you can do work with them.
Get to know what's being done in sort of, in the real world.
Don't just be working at a restaurant, at a bar somewhere making money.
Use your time to, even if it's volunteering, but to be involved in either industry or with one
of your professors getting in the lab and see what that's like.
Read academic journals.
Try to get to an academic conference.
Sometimes students can get in for free or for a very low rate.
And just get an understanding of what's going on in the field.
It's a lot different than what you learn in school.