Also, at least with my class, they paid us a full paycheck on the first pay period. Then, a few weeks later, they withheld a full paycheck with the explanation (and I believe it to have been correct with no malice) that the first one was an advance knowing that we had expenses to cover. So at one point we went a month without incoming cash.

It is a bit of a tight couple months and the improvements don't start showing up in your take-home pay until a month into being out on the line.

Budget accordingly.

Your take-home pay will likely be lower than you anticipate due to deductions, depending upon which health care plan you choose, any HSA or 401(k) contributions you elect to make, etc.

Checking each pay statement will give you a detailed breakdown of the deductions, and there are plenty though many are not big each month.

The main thing to remember is that it is indeed a lean first three months or so.