Contact the cashier's office to let them know whether you want to have a refund check mailed to you or if you will pick it up. The cashier's office normally mails out any refund checks to the address they have on file within a specific number of days after the start of a semester/quarter. This can cause a problem if the address is your parent's house across the country, so it is best that you pick it up yourself.
Request a refund if you had your funds transferred to a campus card for exclusive use at campus stores. Many universities are now placing refunds on university-issued debit cards, including Visa, which you can use for on-campus expenditures or off-campus shopping for books, food, etc.
Shop around at different bookstores to find a good price for the textbooks that you require. College and university bookstores tend to be the most expensive places to buy books. Within a few miles of many university campuses you can find bookstores that stock textbooks for a lower price. Online sites also provide students trying to stretch their award refunds with new and used books that will take a smaller bite out of your budget.