When I first came to my school, I spent nearly $300 on textbooks, because this was what I always did at home. Later on, I realized that I could get them somewhere else, for a much cheaper price.

Some of my international student friends did not take course registration seriously, and then ended up being miserable for months.

Many international students start their college careers in the U.S. without having any prior knowledge of how everything is going to be. As a result, they may experience a lot of wishing they had done things differently if they’d only better known what to expect. If international students were to know what mistakes they were supposed to avoid in the beginning, they would have a much easier transition into college.

Here are a few tips to help you stay out of some common mistakes that international freshmen usually make:

[Here are five things international students should do upon U.S. arrival.]

Mistake 1: Buying All Your Textbooks From the Bookstore

Textbooks from the bookstore are new, nice and clean. Some may even be wrapped in a fancy plastic box that makes them look so appealing.

However, you should try to buy as few textbooks from the bookstore as possible. Since those books are new, they are always sold at their original price, which can sometimes be between $100 and $300 per book. And you are not going to need just one book. These are no doubt much higher prices than textbooks sold in other countries.

The best way to do limit your expenses is to research or email your professor beforehand about which texts are going to be used in the course. From there, you can either borrow old books from the library or rent them online for a much better deal. For some international students, converting $100 to $300 to their currency will give a very scary number. Thus, it is important to invest your money in the right place.

The only case that you should consider getting textbooks from the bookstore is if you are uncertain about whether you will stay in a class or drop out of it. Normally, the college bookstore would allow you to return books within two weeks with full refund. Otherwise, it won’t hurt to get to know someone in class and borrow their textbooks for the first few classes.

[Get tips on managing your first year finances as an international student.]

Mistake 2: Missing Course Registration

At a U.S. college, the course registration process is one moment you never want to miss. Do research by asking your friends or seniors about the courses that you would like to take, learning about the professors who might interest you and thinking about the subjects that might fulfill your academic requirements and try your best to get into the classes that you want.

Missing registration can put you into a very unpleasant situation, whether it is being assigned a professor you do not like, or an extremely hard class that will last for about four months of your life.

For those looking forward to internships, choosing courses will have to be even more deliberate. Not only will you need to find a good professor to help your overall understanding of the class and your GPA, you will also need to get your foot into some good sections very early, as getting an internship can be a competition between you and other people.

[Find out more facts about the American academic system.]

Mistake 3. Only Making Friends With Freshmen or Other International Students

It is understandable that you want to stay in your comfort zone by hanging out with your classmates or other international students. However, it is best to always befriend some upperclassmen, as they are generally more mature and responsible individuals.

Spending time with those older than you will bring you a much broader perspective and academic experience. Moreover, when they graduate and go out to work in the corporate world, you will already have established a good network of people to connect with.

Mistake 4. Being Under- or Overinvolved

Balance is everything in U.S. college life. Some international students find themselves joining so many clubs and organizations on campus that they can hardly have their work done. Others refuse to participate in any school activities and choose to stay home and spend time with their computer instead.

Neither of those is going to benefit you in the long run. To find the balance in your college lifestyle besides going to classes every day, you should get to know yourself by doing a lot of activities and picking out what best interests you. This way, you will be academically and socially successful in a foreign environment.

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Steer Clear of 4 Common Mistakes of International Freshmen in the U.S. originally appeared on usnews.com