Now that your parents have left you on the greatest adventure of your life -- college, that is -- it's time to shop for stuff for your dorm room or apartment that you really want.

One basic necessity of college existence is textbooks. OK, so it's not exactly the most exciting thing to buy, but face facts, you need books.

The first place many people begin and end their search is at the Penn State Bookstore on Campus. General Manager Tom Bauer said the store differs from other stores in that proceeds go to scholarships and other programs for students, unlike other stores which are privately owned.

But if new books aren't in your budget, going the used route might save money. Steve Morris, text floor manager at Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave., said used books are a good buy for students because the publishers discount 25 percent off the new book price.

"If you're lucky, the used book you buy may have notes or formulas that are important to the class," Morris said. Student Book Store has one of the largest selections of used textbooks in the area, he said.

Steve Long, manager of University Book Centre, 206 E. College Ave., agreed that used books are the best way for students to save.

"New students should check out the prices at all three bookstores in the area," Long said.

If the on-campus bookstore doesn't have a certain used book, students will probably find the book at the other two stores, Long said.

With your textbooks purchased, you can move on to less mandatory, but more fun-oriented purchases -- like compact discs and cassette tapes.

For alternative and small-label groups, there are three choices in town.

Blue Train Compact Disc, 418 E. College Ave., not only carries CDs found at regular stores, but also a wide variety of lesser-known artists, said Assistant Manager Jay Williams.

Along with studio-recorded material, Blue Train has a section of live special issue CDs from R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Prince and many others. The live CDs cost about $25 each -- a bit more expensive than studio-recorded material.

Ken Kubala, manager of Modern Times Compact Discs, 318 E. College Ave., said his store specializes in music for college students.

"We carry college-oriented music because that's who our customers mostly are," Kubala said. Kubala is also manager of City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave.

City Lights carries used CDs, tapes and albums. The store usually has between 2,000 and 3,000 used CDs in stock, and also buys CDs for about $6, Kubala said.

While listening to your newly purchased CDs and tapes, you may notice the empty dorm room walls. A way to change the atmosphere is with some posters.

If you are looking for posters with cute phrases or giant landscapes, then McLanahan's Self-Service Store, 414 E. College Ave., is a place to go. Prices start at $2.50 but the store has many at 50 percent-off.

John Keyser, manager of Artifax, 323 E. Calder Way, said his store carries both modern and classic rock posters as well as some more unusual ones.

"When someone walks into the store, they first get a whiff of incense, then they see how much stuff we have crammed into such a little space," Keyser said. "We have fun here, so we hope our customers do too."

The Apple Tree, 136 E. College Ave., has huge movie and rock posters starting at $8.99. Store owner Earle Harner said the store is merely a reflection of modern styles.

"Whatever the latest style is, that's what the store carries," Harner said. "We get the huge posters imported from England. They're usually limited editions."

Among the latest styles in alternative transportation are hybrid bicycles and rollerblades. For that reason, they are a hot item in downtown stores.

New Age Bicyclesport, 232 A W. College Ave., carries the widest variety of bicycles possible, from mountain to road styles, assistant manager Eric Peterson said.

"We want to get as many people riding as possible," Peterson said. "It's safe and better for the environment than using a car."

The store has a large selection of clothes, accessories and parts for every kind of bicyclist, he added.

The Ski Station, 224 E. College Ave., has bicycles, roller blades, skis, racket-sport equipment and accessories. Assistant Manager Rande Ziman said the store tries to get close to its main customers -- the students.

"We have deals with many of the sport clubs and the Greek system," Ziman said.

The Ski Station also rents good quality bikes and roller blades. Prices range from $12 per day for rollerblades to $15 per day for bicycles, and both roller blades and bicycles rent for $35 per week, Ziman said.

Eddie's Bicycles and Sport Equipment, 480 E. College Ave., has a small selection of bikes and only two styles of roller blades for sale, but one of the styles, the Rollerderby BX5000, is a "top-of-the-line model," said Eddie Magulick, president and owner of the store.

"The BX5000 is definitely the best high performance in-line skate today," said Magulick. "It sells for only $169.95, the best price in the State College area."

Magulick also said the store has just started a service guarantee for new bike purchases extending full-service repair for 60 days after purchase.

Along with bikes and roller blades, Eddie's carries a large selection of ice hockey skates, equipment and jerseys.

Sporting goods are another important part of a college students' purchases. Rapid Transit Sportswear, 115 S. Allen St., carries many kinds of sportswear and equipment, said store employee Kay Young, adding they specialize in the technical aspect of sports.

"We try to fit our customers in the right kind of shoe or piece of equipment," Young said. The store also carries a large selection of baseball, softball, soccer and racquet-sport equipment, Young said.

If used equipment is an alternative you wish to explore, then Play It Again Sports, 225 S. Allen St., is the perfect choice, said store owner Bob Storch.

"By having used sports equipment, we let the entry level athletes get into a sport at a greatly reduced price. The more advanced athlete can upgrade or sell his old equipment," Storch said. "This gives students a chance to make money off stuff they're not using anymore."

Finally, after a hard day of studying and shopping, you may want to settle down with a good movie rental.

For this purpose, the A-Z Video Superstores, with two locations in State College, rents new releases at $2.99 for two nights, while older releases are $2.49 for two nights, with no membership fee.

A-Z also rents Sega Genesis and SuperNintendo game systems for $12.99 for two nights and $5.99 each additional night. Games for either system are $3.99 for two nights and $2 each additional night.

Mike's Video, with five locations in the area, rents new releases for $2.99 per day, and general videos for 49 cents a day, also without a membership fee.

The Video Center, 304 W. College Ave., has a $3 one-time sign-up fee, but their new releases are only $2 a day, with general videos from 47 cents a day.

For extended rentals, Blockbuster Video, 1101 N. Atherton St., has new releases for $3.50 for three nights and two days, but if you return it within 24 hours, you get $1.06 credited to your account. They also have Sega Genesis and SuperNintendo game systems for $9.95 and games for $4 for three nights and two days.

When renting a steamy video like Basic Instinct for you and your significant other to watch, you may need to make another vital purchase . . . a condom.

Ritenour Health Center sells Lifestyles and Trojan lubricated condoms with spermicide for only 20 cents each. These are the same brands and styles some stores sell for as much as 80 cents each.