I know the struggle people. I am a first year university student starting in March, so this has been my first experience in buying textbooks for my classes. Putting it simply, yes they are very expensive, but... that's only if you buy them at their original price. I thought I'd share 3 tips that I discovered with you all on how to save money that you mostly likely don't have when buying your study material :)

Know if you actually need it
There is absolutely no point in spending a lot of money on a textbook to find that you don't use it or you are only required to read maybe, one section or even just a few pages. I found that it's best to read up on your particular course. See if it states if the entire book is required or only a few pages. I also visited my university bookshop and asked one of the staff for assistance and she advised me on exactly what books were requested from my lecturers. This will certainly save you some dollars.

Google it lovelies
One of the most simple approaches you can take is to search the internet for the specific book you are looking for. Suss out the prices and see what the average amount the book is selling for so you have an understanding of how much money is being asked of you. Then see if you can find a copy selling for cheaper, try sites like ebay and Amazon or websites with free postage to lessen the expense.

Don't stray away from second hand books
This is my NUMBER ONE. Thousands of students have most likely previously completed your course and they are all selling their used textbooks. You really don't need a brand new, shiny textbook because realistically, you're going to slave over it and never use it again once the semester or year is over. So who cares if some of the pages are showing signs of usages or there is damaging to the binding. Nobody will judge. Students are selling their books for so cheap! A lot of my books were marked around the $60 - $100 mark and I got them between $50 and $20. It's as simple as that.

University is expensive, there is no getting around it but there are ways to save and lessen the cost of some expenses. See if these quick tips help you in the future.

J.R xo

Night time is my favourite time. I love the simplicity of it, the peacefulness and space. It allows me to open my mind and think without bother, without interruption and without annoyance. I for one am not a morning person by far and so I know for a fact that I would much rather spend hours within the night being productive than in the early light of the morning. Living in a house with younger siblings it is also my time to be alone without a little 8 year old barging into my room with a million questions. This is also the time in my day where I feel most creative. Then is when I think of photo ideas, projects to complete, stories to write and things within my personal life. It's peaceful.

I love to decorate my bedroom. It's where I spend a lot of my time so why shouldn't it be a place I find appealing, to my taste and welcoming? It's hard though. Especially when you're only young, on a budget and studying, like myself. I found that what I wanted to create in my room took place through a very long and gradual process and it still isn't to a point where I'd like it to be. I'm still very happy with it though. I seemed to buy bits and bobs from all different places at all different times which made it hard to keep an ongoing theme. Yet I tried my best.