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I used to be the girl who’d open her laptop, blink twice, and suddenly it was three hours later and I’d accomplished nothing except memorizing every detail of a stranger’s Instagram feed. My brain was basically in sleep mode. Cute, but useless.

Starting college is both thrilling and intimidating, especially when you’re worried about money. If you’re a broke college girl prepping for your first year (or trying to survive it), let me share what I wish I knew, so you can skip a few headaches and stretch your dollars further.

Every semester I hit that point where my life feels like it’s being held together by caffeine, dry shampoo, and sheer delusion. That’s when I convince myself: this is the week I’m going to glow up my entire life. New routines, better habits, healthier food… basically a total rebrand.

So it’s the beginning of the semester. You’ve got syllabi, class group chats, club meetings, 1,000 unread emails, and at least one panic purchase sitting in your Amazon cart labeled “college essentials.” You’re overwhelmed. But also deeply committed to being That Girl—you know, the one with the color-coded planner, matching highlighters, and a vague sense of control. This is how I fake that I have my life together at the start of every semester. It’s messy. It’s extra. And it

So you’re broke. Me too, bestie. At least you’re self-aware enough to click on this post instead of buying a $14 candle “for your mental health” (again). Welcome to your unofficial starter kit for figuring out how to not blow your entire refund check in week one.

I’d like to start this post by saying: I’m not proud. But I am resourceful. And maybe a little dramatic. This is the story of how I made it through an entire week of college with only $14 in my bank account, a granola bar in my backpack, and a dream. Not a big dream. Just like... to not pass out in lecture or overdraft my debit card again.