<p>I personally would advise buying the books ahead of time. Prices are already starting to shoot up. I purchased a few used books and rented another. The current prices to the prices when I purchased the books weeks ago is nearly double. On the course guide, you can look through old syllabuses to see if the books are required or not. You can also check wolverine access. A printer is not necessary, as there are printers all around campus. I would strongly suggest purchasing airline tickets months in advance. </p>