First day is syllabus day. Can skip it for the lower tier classes. Upper tier they start caring. Or rather, not so much caring, but they spend 10 seconds on the syllabus covering the parts required by law, give a spiel about grading, and go 'ya'll know the rest' and start lecturing.
Books aren't ever required except for math classes or classes that have quizzes that allow you to use your book (my physiology class did this). Generally it's expected that you leave them at home because that's where you'll be doing the reading/work.
And yah I haven't bought mine either. Experience gives you that little gem of insight when you buy a $160 book that the bookstore told you you'd need and the professor tells you that he's not going to be teaching from the book.
Luckily they accept returns for the first 3 days...