Hello class of 2020, as you embark on one of life's most exciting beginnings, you are probably going to get a lot of advice from other's on how to prepare for the year. If you were anything like me you'll be watching YouTube videos and reading articles galore on what mistakes to not make during the year. Well, as I go into my second year I can definitely tell you that those videos and articles left some pretty key elements out, and that's why I'm here to give you real advice-- the advice aside from "make friends!" and "try new things!".

1. Never underestimate the power of the dollar store

I can't even tell you how much of a lifesaver the dollar store was to me and my friends throughout the year. The dollar store was a cheap and effective way to get birthday decorations, small packs of Advil/Tylenol, fuzzy socks and cups. During festive times of the year like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines Day, my roommate and I liked to decorate our door and room with decorations that were easily affordable at the dollar store. The dollar store was also a great help during my college dorm shopping when I would get simple things like hangers, over the door hooks and trashcans. As much as I love Target, why spend $5 on a trash bin when you can spend only $1?

2. Wait to buy your textbooks

I sadly made this mistake one too many times my freshman year. During both the fall and spring semester, I thought I was being a good student by buying my textbooks before classes started, only having to send some back because it turned out I didn't need them. It's good to look online and see what textbooks you may need, so that you can save up money in the event of needing all of the books. However, don't buy a thing until your professor outlines exactly what you'll need for the class. Believe me, it just saves a lot of time and struggle.

3. Never buy textbooks from the bookstore

The bookstore is home to a lot of great things: overly priced and beautiful school merch, cute planners and cups, but textbooks... not so much. I can almost guarantee that you will find your textbook cheaper on Amazon or Chegg. Sometimes it's even cheaper to rent for the semester. The bookstore should be your absolute last resort, I mean unless you're into spending $200 on a book that you can rent for $30 on Amazon-- to each their own.

4. Stock up on food/snacks

Whether this is from the campus mini market, leftovers from the dining hall or groceries from Kroger, STOCK UP. I can't tell you how many times I've been in my dorm at 1:30am super hungry with nothing to eat-- when it's too late to go to the dining hall and too late to drive, you may be spending a pretty penny on food from Favor. It just pays off to have that extra food, whether it's during a late night study session, or a quick breakfast when you woke up 3 minutes before class-- you'll thank yourself later.

5. TRY not to over-pack

I capitalize try because I know how hard it is not to-- this especially goes to you out-of-staters. You may think you need to pack every single possible thing, but you really don't. Always keep in mind that you come home at least 4 times a year, so that's when you can swap out clothes-- Thanksgiving break is for swapping out summer clothes to fall clothes, Christmas break is for swapping out fall clothes to winter clothes, and so on with Spring Break. If you decide to pack everything, you will truly regret it at the end of the year when it's time to move back home. A few of my out-of-state friends ended having to pay over $200 on shipping boxes of their stuff back home, they now have learned a valuable lesson.

6. Invest in a water filter and bottles/cups

Maybe it's because I go to school in Austin, but I definitely think that having your own bottle is not only environmentally effective, but also cost effective and a mess preventative. Back at home, I would have empty water bottles scattered all over my room, but in college I used my bottle and Brita and saved money and a mess to clean.

7. Chose class times wisely

You may think that getting all of your classes over with in the morning is a good idea. Or on the contrary, you may think doing them late is best. Really analyze when you're the most productive when creating your class schedule. Do you like to take naps? Do you want a lunch break in between classes that lasts longer than 10 minutes? These are just some questions to keep in mind. While it wasn't at the crack of dawn, I soon learned that morning classes weren't for me; however, it's not like I wanted to take a 6pm class either. When creating my schedule for this fall, I remember how hard it was for me to wake up for my 9am, and so now all of my classes will start at 11am or 12pm this semester. On some days I plan a huge gap in between classes so I can take a nap, because why not? If you're a morning person go for those 8am's, but if you remember being in a horrid mood all of high school when you woke up at 7am, early classes may not be for you.

8. Don't forget to take a break

While this sounds sort of like a cliche, it's probably one of the most important pieces of advice anyone can give you. Going into college is a new beginning; if you feel like you didn't do well in high school you may try to overcomplicate and stress yourself to create a different story in college. Take naps, make time for friends, make time for YOURSELF! In college you have a freedom you never had in high school-- you have the power to do what you want with your time, so take advantage of it and make the most out of this year! You only have one freshman year of college (at least let's hope).