International student with fixed monthly support — save or invest?

Hey everyone, I’m an international student in the U.S. and I’ve been feeling pretty stressed about money lately, mostly because I feel like I’m behind financially compared to people my age. I’m trying not to make emotional or rushed decisions, so I thought I’d ask here, I just stress over things. I get around **$1,650–$1,750 per month**. My expenses are roughly: * **Rent & Util :** $650 * **Food:** trying to keep it under **$100/month** by cooking at home * **Other bills and random expenses:** about **$100–$150** After all this, I usually still have some money left each month. I don’t have a full-time income yet, and my main goal right now is just stability and peace of mind while finishing school, not chasing high-risk returns. What I’m confused about is whether it makes sense for someone in my situation to: * Just save for now * Invest very small amounts in something low-risk * Or wait completely until I have more consistent income I am extremely grateful for everything but at times I fall under the age old phenomena of comparing myself with others and I think a lot of my stress comes from that and the feeling of being behind, so I’d really appreciate advice from people who’ve been there and figured it out over time. Not looking for crypto or get-rich-quick stuff. Would it make sense for me to invest a couple hundred bucks every month or not worth it as of now and just keep everything as an "emergency fund"? Thanks in advance.