It's that time of year. College move-in vlogs are all the rage on YouTube, the college section is being emptied at Target, and ramen is nowhere to be found. That's right, it's time to move back to college. Although Gustavus students do not move as early as large state schools, move-in day is quickly approaching. Below are 13 tips for new (and old, I suppose) Gustavus students that will make this coming school year the best it can be:

1. Use The Bookmark's price comparison tool when buying textbooks

Never, ever, in a million years buy the first book that pops up. If you do you will soon find yourself dropping hundreds of more dollars than you have to. And at GAC we are so blessed to have a bookstore that actually acknowledges this and gives us the prices of the exact books we need on other sites.

2. Bring a mini-fan that can hook onto your bed frame

This applies to most college dorms, but since there is no air conditioning this is a must. And they are not very expensive (check out Target or Amazon for the best deals). A big fan moving air around your room only does so much. This makes falling asleep in what feels like 100-degree heat some nights so much easier.

3. Write down your passwords for WebAdvisor and Moodle

Going into my second year I still find myself changing my passwords for these sites because I can't remember them for the life of me. Just do yourself a favor and write them down--somewhere at least a little secretive--for reference when you're trying to turn in a paper by midnight and it's 11:58 and you forgot your password.

4. Join student orgs but don't overexert yourself

Gustavus students are notorious for being overly involved. Whether this is an effort to make our resumes more impressive or because we feel obligated to because everyone else, the world will never know. But, what I do know is that it is more impressive to be heavily involved in a few student orgs and play a larger role in them than joining a bunch and being lightly involved. Also, you get to know the people in the orgs so much better if you actually go to all the meetings and events!

5. You probably don't need the largest (or even second largest) meal plan

Going to college I thought that the smallest meal plan would starve me. At registration, a cafeteria worker talked me down to the second largest (of three) meal plans because "only football players actually eat enough food for the largest plan". But I soon found that I had money going to waste so I switched to the lowest meal plan and have happily been there ever since. Even better, I still have extra money for snacks!

6. Go to class

This should be a no-brainer for any college, but it is incredibly important at Gustavus. The class sizes are small, professors will notice if you are gone and will take it into account when deciding your midterm or final grade. The discussion is a large part of many class' grades and missing just one day has the capability to wobble your grade. Though, if you are sick, just let the professor know and take some time for yourself.

7. Use your advisor

We are so lucky to have an advisor assigned to each of us that actually knows us by name and even knows us as a person. Do not be afraid to use your advisors when you have any questions about college that cannot be answered by your peers. Surprise! College professors know a lot about how to make a schedule and what gen eds you need. Use them as a resource. I cannot say that enough.

8. Go get that free food

You will see posters all around campus advertising different events and I can guarantee that 99% of them will have free frost your owns, pizza, or other food that isn't caf food. Although the walk from your dorm to the student center may seem like a marathon, the food will certainly be worth it

9. There will be GAC Christmas sweaters for sale and they are worth it

If you are debating whether or not to buy one of Gustavus' classic Christmas sweaters, stop the debate. They are so comfy and worth the money (and honestly not that expensive when comparing them with other Bookmark items). 11/10 would recommend GAC Christmas sweaters.

10. Contact hooks don't really work on brick walls

Take it from me, someone who valiantly tried for three months to hang a picture up on my brick wall with contact hooks, it doesn't work.

11. Mounting Tape does work (on pretty much any type of wall)

Take it from me, someone who gave up on using contact hooks and used mounting tape on a whim, it does work. And it doesn't take the wall off with it when you remove it.

12. If you're looking for a job, ask around

Lots of departments need administrative assistants, the caf is not the only place that hires around campus. The trick to finding a job that doesn't include serving pizza is to ask professors or office workers if they know if any department is hiring.

13. Go to the sporting events (and get into them)

We love our sports at GAC, winning or losing the games are always a good time and promise fun without having to spend money. If you're looking for something to do on a weeknight or during the day on the weekend's sporting events are where it's at. Even if you're not into sports, it gives you an excuse to chill and talk to friends somewhere that isn't your dorm room or the caf.