The Broke College Kid's Freshman Survival Guide
Freshman year is a hundred small decisions you've never made before, all happening at once — and half of them cost money you don't have. This guide is the workbook nobody handed you: what to buy versus split with your roommate (so you don't double up on $200 of stuff), the free food and free money already built into your tuition, a real roommate agreement you fill out together, and a monthly budget with a live "left over" total that keeps you honest. Plus the academic stuff nobody says out loud: what office hours are actually for, when to drop a class, and how your GPA math works before it bites you. It's built to be typed into on your phone or laptop, saved as your own copy, and lived in all year — not read once and shelved.
What's inside
- The "buy it yourself" vs. "split with your roommate" packing lists — kill the double-buying
- Free food + free money on campus (the stuff you already paid for and aren't using)
- A roommate agreement you both actually fill in (quiet hours, guests, food, cleaning)
- Fillable monthly budget with a live green "left over" field
- The "don't fail out" academic checklist — office hours, drops, GPA math, deadlines
- First-30-days survival: laundry, meal plan hacks, health & counseling centers
- Your semester command center (contacts, key dates, brain-dump space)
Perfect for you if you…
- Are heading into your first semester and don't know where to start
- Are a parent trying to send your freshman off with a plan, not a lecture
- Want a first-year system that fits on your phone, not a 200-page book you'll never open
- Are broke and refuse to spend a fortune on move-in stuff you don't need
Format & delivery
12-page fillable PDF, US Letter. Instant digital download. Type into every checkbox, budget cell, and note field on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Save your own copy — your edits stick and you can update them all year. A So Now What™companion workbook.
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