If you’re an incoming freshman or transfer student, or if you’ve never lived away from the relative financial security of your parents, you have a lot of life lessons ahead of you. I’m a senior this year, but last year was my first at the University of Idaho. These are just some of the things I’ve learned in the last 365 days that didn’t come out of an $80 textbook.

Often the simplest foods make the best meals. My first few months in Moscow, I would eat a baked — or rather, microwaved — potato topped with sour cream and shredded cheese three or four nights a week. Those toppings are versatile, and they can be put on tortilla chips to make nachos. A bag of frozen stir fry that costs about a dollar can be a whole meal if mixed with the right sauce. Use your imagination and experiment.

The Internet can save you a lot of money. Set up an eBay and PayPal account, order some free shipping supplies from USPS.gov, and auction away your unwanted or unnecessary belongings. You’ll gain some spare change and free up room in your house or apartment for new acquisitions.

Instead of paying for software, download open source versions for free. Instead of buying Microsoft Office, try OpenOffice.org or Google Docs, and instead of Photoshop, check out GIMP.

Textbooks — and most other books — are usually cheaper online than in the bookstore. I always use Amazon Marketplace to get the best deals. Order in advance, and be sure you won’t drop the classes for which you are ordering books, because returning them might be a hassle.

You don’t even need to buy cookbooks. If you can’t find a good recipe for free online, I can’t help you.

The same goes for newspapers, magazines and blogs. Some papers require registration or even a fee to access online content, but in the case of national and international news, it’s impossible to not find a free source. Some magazines, like “Wired,” even publish entire issues online for free.

If you live off campus and drive to school, leave home at least a half hour before class. If you have a blue or red permit and are trying to find a decent parking space on campus between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., good luck. Don't try to fudge the rules or park somewhere you aren't supposed to, because Parking Services loves to give out expensive tickets.

Since you'll probably be parking far away from class, be prepared to walk. Wear good shoes. Last year I ended up with a stress fracture in one of my feet just from walking to and from my car. If you do get injured and receive a disability permit that allows you to park in virtually any space on campus, use it wisely because you are only allowed one per year.

Sometimes having a laptop open in class is the only way to stay awake. But, if you do use your computer during class, try to take notes, and obey the instructor or professor's wishes. If he or she says laptops are not allowed or are a distraction, respect those rules. I had an instructor who repeatedly — but without naming specific students — ridiculed people who used laptops during his class. Yet, week after week, the same people would invariably have their laptops open, usually glued to Facebook or shopping Web sites. They made the rest of us look like model students by comparison.

Plan ahead, get organized and don't overload yourself. Put notes and paperwork into a separate folder for each class, and do the same with your documents on the computer. Date everything, and order documents so the assignments that are due first are the first ones you see when you open the folder.

Typing your notes and storing them digitally will let you search by keyword instead of having to skim over everything. When you get a study guide or need to find a certain topic, hitting Control+F in Windows or Command+F in Mac OS X while you're looking at your notes on-screen will often bring immediate results.

Take the initiative, and ask questions. Chances are you will make friends who have already lived in Moscow or have gone to UI for a couple of years. Don't hesitate to ask them their experiences or even what the best restaurants and deals are in town. Your willingness to become involved will be appreciated and will earn you respect when you know the ropes later on.

Are you a returning student? Do you have more to add to this list of life lessons? Post them in the comments of this article.
 

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