The subject seems self-evident, but many approach their daily lives without the fondest clue of who they are. Obviously, I am me and you are you, but that is just about where we stop, content in our knowledge that I am here and not somewhere Over There. Good enough, right?

You can make your studying life much easier and more beneficial in general if you ask yourself, "Why am I studying this?" English is by no means a pretty language, and although flexible and useful in life, it drives even English teachers like me a little batty.

Most people studying English -- or learning anything, really -- fall into one of three categories: for fun, for education, and for business. Let's look at each category to identify where priorities should lie and maybe a little advice for how to enrichen your studies.

People who study English for simple enjoyment typically show the most rapid progress. They are flexible and absorb the language, and most of all associating the idea of learning with fun makes one embrace the learning process. The tradeoff is that for all their flexibility in conversation, people who study for fun lack specialization -- over time, they may attain nearly native English fluency, but it becomes an uphill process because they have so much more to learn than people who choose to focus their studies.
If you are among those studying English for fun, I highly recommend the dramas Friends and Seinfeld; the speech is fairly natural, the shows are highly rated, and perhaps most importantly, cover a range of topics that one may potentially encounter in daily life.

If that doesn't describe you, and you are learning English primarily to enhance your education; perhaps you want to study in the US or Australia, then you might want to steer clear of relying on drama as a learning tool (although it makes a wonderful supplement).
Instead, I recommend turning to the news for help. Read and listen to reports about your chosen specialty, but don't shy away from other subjects either. In the US, education is being dumbed down for an Internet generation that in addition to granting a huge amount of information to the fingertips of its users apparently drains the brain. Literacy rates are falling, and to compensate, the language of textbooks is changing to read much more like news articles (typically written for the audience of 3rd to 6th graders in elementary school). Scary, huh? This works in your advantage, though. Use it.

Finally, the intrepid businessman/woman. You might not even be learning English to speak with a native -- your audience might be a German, Russian, Venezuelan, etc. Perhaps, even, you just want to score highly on the TOEIC to imrpove your chances of landing a promotion.
If your audience isn't a native speaker, you need to take this into account. For starters, I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the particular accent you need. Movies are a great source for this. Although the accent are sometimes overplayed in movies, it helps give you an idea of what to expect in a worst-case scenario, like your businesspartner speaks exactly like the Terminator. From there, focus your studies on polite and appropriate expressions that are context-sensitive to the CULTURE you will be dealing with. Ie; don't treat a French person like you would an American, just like you would not treat a Korean like a Japanese person. Each culture has its own nuances that you should make a point to study.
As for the TOEIC, there is really not too much advice to give. Because it is an exam, certain rules apply and there is a degree of predictability. Rely on tried and true test-taking strategies and do not slack.

When you begin a class, you have a responsibility to make it clear to the teacher exactly why you are there to study. If it is at all within our power, we are usually willing to make a few changes into our lesson plans to accommodate you. Students who want to learn make good teachers, just like good teachers should make students want to learn.

Who are you?