With a new school year rapidly approaching, I figured it would be the perfect time to give some tips to college freshmen. College is a whole new experience, and it can be a bit scary, especially if you have no idea what to expect. These tips are just some of the things that I’ve learned and taken advantage of to get me through my first year at college.

1. Packing

Something I had been super excited about was moving into college! However, moving in also meant packing boxes and boxes of things that I thought I would need. Obviously, some things were inevitable. I was definitely going to need clothes (workout clothes, pajamas, dressier clothes, regular clothes, etc), but what I didn’t realize was that half of the clothing I brought, I would never end up wearing. To avoid this, try to pack only for the season, meaning don’t bring a winter jacket when it’s still August. Sure, it might be a hassle to have it shipped to you or to go home and get it, but you really won’t need a big winter jacket for the first few months of school anyways.

Another tip for packing is to look at what your school recommends you bring, especially for your dorm room. Typically those lists will give you ideas of things you never thought you would need, but might actually come in handy, as well as the items that you aren’t allowed to have in your room that would most likely get taken away anyway.

2. Supplies and organization

In high school I always thought the best method for my own organization was to invest in binders and then fill the binders with paper, dividers, folders, and whatever else I thought they needed. However, in college, most of your classes will be lectures in which you just need to take a ton of notes, and I found that for me, it was a lot easier to just grab some colored notebooks and use one for each class. That way I was never having to search for my notes at the end of the semester and I never ran out of paper. Notebooks were also a lot lighter to carry to class.

If you opt to take notes on a laptop, make sure it’s okay with your teacher and make sure that you stay on task. The few times I tried to use my laptop in class, I always found myself online shopping or looking at social media instead.

3. Books

In college, as I’m sure you already know, books are expensive. But it doesn’t have to be that way. My first semester, I didn’t check what books I would need before the classes began and I ended up having to purchase all of them at my university bookstore, costing me a total of $887. Looking back, that was probably not my greatest decision.

When buying books, first look online on websites such as Chegg or Amazon. A lot of the textbooks can be purchased for a fraction of what the bookstore will charge you, especially if you want to buy them used. Secondly, if you can, rent the textbooks. They may require you to not write in them, but it will be a lot cheaper than trying to buy them for full price or for the used price.

Another thing to check is to see how needed the textbook is. My first semester classes had access codes with them that came with an online book. If this is your case as well, then you may be better off just buying the access codes. If the textbook is not available online, then check with other students to see if it’s worth it to get the textbook. Depending on what class you are taking, the textbook may just be for your own reference rather than for actual homework.

4. Roommates

Lastly, roommates. Living in a confined area with one or two strangers is definitely going to be a new experience, especially if you’ve never had to share a room with anyone. Do your best to get to know your roommates before going into school, either via group chats or even trying to get together a few times. This will help you find things to bond over so that living together won’t be so awkward at first. It will also help you guys agree on some boundaries and rules for the room, such as quiet hours at a specific time, how often the room should be cleaned, etcetera.

Also, communicate. If there are problems between you and your roommate, talk to them about it and do your best to come to a resolution, rather than living in a room and feeling upset about something. Chances are there are things that you do that bother them and vice versa. It’s a lot better to handle these issues with them rather than make the living situation awkward for everyone.

College is a blast as long as you make the most of your time. Of course your first year might be a little rough, but hopefully these tips will make it easier and give you a little idea of what to expect.