As the start of college sneaks closer, so does the stress it brings. College is by no means easy but by following these six steps you might be able to overcome some of the challenges it brings! I am a junior this year with a 3.98 GPA and I would love to share with you some hacks I have discovered along this journey.

1. Rent your textbooks.

Renting your books will save you hundreds to thousands of dollars. Seriously. This semester I spent about $130 on my books instead of $500 if I had bought them all. Great websites to use are BookRenter and Amazon. Bookrenter's textbooks are usually 60 to 90 percent off the original price (heck yes!). I made the mistake my first semester by buying books and now they are sitting at my parents house collecting dust. Personally, books from my freshman and sophomore year are books I will probably never open again after the semester so buying them just takes up space in your bookshelf and money out of your pocket. If your course needs an access code, just rent the book and buy the access code separately. I swear the savings are crazy!

2. Always go to class.

I know this seems self explanatory but believe it or not I know so many people who don't go to class consistently and wonder why their grades are so low. Going to class helps you stay on top of things, even if that class is super boring. Your professors will notice when you are there and engaged in their class, your grade will see benefits! Also, some classes have an attendance or participation section in your grade so better to be safe than sorry!

3. Bust your butt to get homework done by Thursday.

I started doing this my first semester of college and let me tell you, it is the best decision I have made! If you manage your time and work to get things done by Thursday you will have wonderful weekends with no stress! It will give you time to recoup for the next week, which is definitely needed in the world of college. You won't have to make excuses not to hang out with friends because you will be all caught up!

4. If you don't understand something, utilize your professors out of class hours...or at least email them.

Sometimes it seems like your professor is out to get you and stress you out of your mind. However, that is usually not their intention. In my experience, professors seem intimidating but if you take time to talk to them and ask them questions, they will help you more than you could imagine. It also makes them respect you more because you are willing to go the extra step to understand.

5. Make a checklist of all the things you need to get done each week.

First, look at the syllabus! It is a little cheat sheet of what you will be doing that semester in each class. I also get a student planner at the beginning of each school year, and I write down my schedule for each day in it. I write down all of the things I need to get done in it and check it off when I complete it. It makes me feel amazing when I check the last item off for the week. It also helps me prioritize my time and stay on top of things. It reminds me when things are due. I also like to write what week it is in the semester, so when I am down in the dumps about how swamped I am, I can look at the bright side and say, "Only five weeks left! I can do this!" Thinking positively honestly helps keep your spirits high during high stress time.

6. Keep your grades as high as possible in the beginning of the semester.

I think this might be the most important hack I can tell you about. When you put in the highest effort in the beginning when you have tons of motivation, finals week will be a breeze. If you are striving for an "A" in a class, going the extra mile in the beginning and doing extra credit even if your grade doesn't necessarily need it at the time will make the difference in the end. When you have a high grade going into finals, it takes the edge off the grueling week. You don't have to study as hard, and are able to pick the final you are more worried about to study more for. Your mind will thank you at the end of the semester when you are smooth sailing through finals instead of barely making it through.

If you follow these college hacks, your life is sure to be a lot easier! Finding motivation can be tough at times but making small goals each week will help you out immensely. Good luck to all of you college freshman! Making good habits now can make such a great difference in your education and your mental health!