Money, or the lack of it.
Remember students loans are cheaper than Access. So pay off your credit card bills with your loan, or alternatively keep the money in a building society it will earn more interest than it attracts.
If you need a part-time job, supermarket shelf-stacking pays a fairly good rate (approximate £4.50 per hour) at a time which will not interfere with kids, or the University time table, however you will be constantly tired.
Buy as few books as possible - even if they're recommended the chances are you may only use them for one or two weeks and never look at them again. Use the Library - it's that big building marked
Library,
the sooner you learn to use its resources the better.
Local libraries are also a good resource. Make friends with your local librarian, they will order books from other libraries for you.
Get as many books as you can from second-hand book shops and charity shops - build up a collection of poems and novels - even if you don't need them now they may come in handy in the second and third years.
The
Norton Anthology
may prove useful if on a limited budget, however it is clumsy to use and heavy to carry around. We wouldn't recommend it, there are plenty of good cheap single editions about.
Borrow off friends, chances are they may have the book you need.
Look in the black boxes in the office for journal articles, even if it's not your tutor's box, other tutors may have good articles on the subject you are studying.