5 Books That Will Help You Figure Out How to Adult in College

“Adulthood is like looking both ways before you cross the street and then getting hit by an airplane.” – Unknown

When it comes to adulthood, most of us need all the help we can get. This time of life is chock-full of new experiences and opportunities for learning. With all of the “firsts” (first time living away from home, first time paying bills, doing laundry, etc.) that come with going to college, life can be extremely overwhelming. Here are five college-budget-friendly books to help prepare you for adulthood!

1. Free $ For College for Dummies

This book gives a broad overview of tips and tricks for finding and applying for college scholarships, along with providing information on financial aid. If you have little to no experience writing scholarship essays, this book will definitely help you out!

2. Confessions of a Scholarship Winner: The Secrets That Helped Me Win $500,000 in Free Money for College - How You Can Too!

This book is kind of an autobiography. The author tells of her own experience obtaining scholarships and paying for college. This book provides both inspiration and information to any students looking for free money for college.

3. The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook: Easy, Healthy Recipes for the Next Four Years & Beyond

This book contains over a hundred recipes that only require five ingredients and can be made in less than 30 minutes! If you’re done with on-campus meal plans, a book like this is a fantastic resource.

4. The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Naked Roomate)

This book offers a variety of realistic advice on both social and academic topics. There are so many experiences that are difficult to predict and prepare for in college. Taking advice from those who have already lived it can better train us to deal with any situation that may arise.

5. Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together

Going beyond just budgeting and investing, this book goes in-depth to help millennials better understand their relationship with money, how to manage student loan debt, and how to have a social life even when you’re broke. It’s a fun read – seriously – that will give you a ton of money tips to keep in mind through college and beyond.

Less into reading and more into using? Try these:

Mead Organizer Expense Tracker

I can’t tell you how many times I looked at my bank account and was so disappointed during my freshman year because I did an awful job of budgeting. Plan out a simple budget and use an expense tracker like this one to avoid feeling doomed every time you check your account.

2018 Weekly & Monthly Planner

Whether you’re taking 6 credits or 20, it’s easy to forget assignments if you don’t write them down. A weekly planner is a great aid in keeping track of assignments, appointments, and events!

They say that when life you gives you lemons, make lemonade. Reading books like these may not fully prepare you for all of life’s surprises, but they do give you an idea of what may come and how to “make lemonade” out of any situation. With a little preparation you’ll know what to do when money gets tight or your roommate “forgets” her clothes.