diff --git a/src/GameFrame.java b/src/GameFrame.java
index 60f2382..923e860 100644
--- a/src/GameFrame.java
+++ b/src/GameFrame.java
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ public class GameFrame extends JFrame{
         System.out.println(e);
       }
       game.startThread();
+      // save game after load to prevent lag spikes during the game
+      FileManager.writeObjectToFile("local\\temp_state.dat", game);
       /*
       try {
         // read previously saved controls
diff --git a/src/SettingPanel.java b/src/SettingPanel.java
index 83a113c..de31668 100644
--- a/src/SettingPanel.java
+++ b/src/SettingPanel.java
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ public class SettingPanel extends MenuPanel {
     public static final int GAME_HEIGHT = 630;
 
     public TextBox title;
-    public TextBox up, down, left, right;
+    public TextBox up, down, left, right, tip;
     public ArrayList<TextBox> textBoxArray = new ArrayList<TextBox>();
     public Font standardFont = new Font(Font.MONOSPACED, Font.BOLD, 60);
     public Font smallFont = new Font(Font.MONOSPACED, Font.PLAIN, 40);
+    public Font smallerFont = new Font(Font.MONOSPACED, Font.ITALIC, 24);
     public int playerFrame, enemyFrame;
     public boolean waitForKey, notFirstWait;
     public int lastKeyCode = -1;
@@ -44,9 +45,10 @@ public class SettingPanel extends MenuPanel {
         down = new TextBox(350, 600, 50, GAME_WIDTH, smallFont, "Down", Integer.toString(KeyEvent.VK_S));
         left = new TextBox(400, 600, 50, GAME_WIDTH, smallFont, "Left", Integer.toString(KeyEvent.VK_A));
         right = new TextBox(450, 600, 50, GAME_WIDTH, smallFont, "Right", Integer.toString(KeyEvent.VK_D));
+        tip = new TextBox(500, 600, 50, GAME_WIDTH, smallerFont, "TIP: Press ESC to return to the main menu", null);
         textBoxArray.add(up);
-        textBoxArray.add(down);
         textBoxArray.add(left);
+        textBoxArray.add(down);
         textBoxArray.add(right);
 
         pauseMenu = new PauseMenu(GAME_HEIGHT/2, 0, 400, 400, GAME_WIDTH, smallFont, "Enter your key", true);
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ public class SettingPanel extends MenuPanel {
             t.text = oldText;
         }
         oldText = textBoxArray.get(currentBox).text;
+        tip.draw(g, new Color(0, 0, 0, 0), Color.lightGray);
         // TODO: clean up
         middlewareIndex = GameFrame.game.middlewareArray.indexOf(new Middleware(Integer.parseInt(textBoxArray.get(currentBox).id), -1));
         // -2 was chosen as oldCode instead of -1 to prevent conflicts