If you’re a college student, you may already be back on campus. If not, you don’t have long to go before school starts again.

And this year, in addition to whatever courses you may be taking, try to master some financial lessons.

Of course, many students already have at least one foot in the “real world,” because, in addition to taking classes, they’re working many hours a week to help pay for school, rent and living expenses.

But even if you’re a full-time student, living on campus and paying for school through a combination of grants, loans, savings and help from your parents, you can learn some financial basics that can help you throughout your adult life.

Specifically, consider these suggestions:

Don’t overuse credit cards. Credit card marketers aggressively target college students, so you’ll need to be vigilant about all the offers that will bombard you. While it might not be a bad idea to carry a single credit card for use in emergencies, it’s very easy to over-use the “plastic” and rack up big debts. You’ll need to discipline yourself to save for the things you want, rather than charging them.

Shop around for financial services. You’ll find plenty of banks willing to give you a T-shirt or a frying pan for opening an account with them. But these places may not be offering you the best deal on checking or savings accounts or loans. It pays to shop around.

Keep track of your student loans. Make sure you understand all the terms of your student loans: how much you’re expected to pay each month, when payments are due, what interest rate you’re paying, what credits may be available for on-time repayment, etc. You might be able to achieve a more favorable repayment schedule by consolidating two or more loans. Once you start repaying your loans, do whatever you can to stay on track with your payments.

Never stop looking for financial aid. The aid package you may have received as an incoming freshman doesn’t have to be the final word on financial assistance. Colleges offer some scholarships based on college-level academic achievement or real-world experience — both of which you may have accumulated since your freshman year. Study your college’s scholarships and be aggressive in going after them.

Estimate your future income. You may not know exactly what you want to do when you graduate, but if you have a career path in mind, try to learn what sort of salary you can expect during your first few years out of college.

Once you have a realistic idea of how much you’re going to earn, you may have the motivation you need to avoid bad financial practices, such as accumulating big debts.

College should be a learning experience — in many ways. And if some of the knowledge you obtain during your college years can help you develop sound financial habits, so much the better.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Financial tips for college students

Summer is a great time to catch up on all the books you’ve been wanting to read.

Here are some suggestions of quality, award-winning books available for checking out at the Crestview Public Library.

"All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr. A blind French girl and a German boy have a chance encounter in occupied France during World War II. Doerr's book received the Alex Award (given to 10 books written for adults that also appeal to 12- through 18-year-olds.)

"Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel. "An audacious, darkly glittering novel about art, fame and ambition set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse," the publisher states. St. John Mandel's novel won the Arthur C. Clarke Award, which recognizes the best science fiction novel published for the first time in the United Kingdom in the previous year.

"The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend" by Dan Santat. "This magical story begins on an island far away, where an imaginary friend is born," the publisher states. "He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match." Santat's book won the Caldecott Medal, which recognizes the most distinguished American picture book for children.

"Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson. "In vivid poems, (the author) shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement," the publisher states. Woodson's biography won the Coretta Scott King Author Award, which recognizes African-American authors’ outstanding contributions to children's literature, promoting a better understanding and appreciation of the culture and contribution to the realization of the American Dream.

"Mr. Mercedes" by Stephen King. " ‘Mr. Mercedes’ is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable," the publisher states. It won the Edgar Allan Poe Best Novel Award, which recognizes authors for outstanding contributions in mystery, crime and suspense writing.

"Redeployment" by Phil Klay. "Interwoven with themes of brutality and faith, guilt and fear, helplessness and survival, the characters in these stories (about the war in Afghanistan) struggle to make meaning out of chaos," the publisher states. Klay's novel won the National Book Foundation's Fiction Award, which honors American books of the highest literary merit.

"The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert. This Pulitzer Prize winning fictional work tells the "future of the world, blending intellectual and natural history and field reporting into a powerful account of the mass extinction unfolding before our eyes," the publisher states.

Marie Heath is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HEATH: 7 end-of-summer reads

Tis the season! College football season that is. We are less than a month away and the college rivalry begins. Team flags will start to appear on the front lawn, casual Fridays in the office will change to a college polo and the best part of all…tailgating!

More on tailgating food safety>>

Tailgating is an American tradition where food is cooked and served on and around the tailgate of a vehicle.

While tailgating can be fun for the family and friends, let’s not forget food safety. Cooks have to take precautions to keep the food safe during those tailgating events, while refrigerators are not available.

Here's how to keep food safe while tailgating.

●Carry cold perishable food like raw hamburger patties, hotdogs, and chicken in an insulated cooler packed with ice or gel packs. Place an appliance thermometer in the cooler so you can check to be sure the food stays at 40F or below.

●Perishable cooked food such as lunch meat, potato or pasta salad must be kept cool too.

●If bringing hot take-out food, eat it within 2 hours of purchase (1 hour if the temperature is above 90F).

●Include lots of clean utensils for preparing and serving the safely cooked food.

●Pack clean, wet, disposable cloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.

●In addition to a grill and fuel for cooking food, pack a food thermometer so you can check and make sure the meat and poultry reach a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria that may be present.

●When taking food off the grill, use a clean platter. Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate safely cooked food.

These are the safe minimum internal temperatures for tailgating and other outdoor sporting events:

●All poultry, 165°F

●Ground meats, 160°F

●Beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, roasts, and chops, 145°F*

●Leftovers, 165°F

●Reheating, 165°F

*As measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.

Rebecca Catalena is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CATALENA: 7 steps to tailgate food safety