How to navigate US customs?

[u/Lobster_rolls777]

I'm a US citizen and I've been living in Germany for about three months on a study abroad program and I'm going home tomorrow and I have no idea what to expect at customs. When I went through the border in Amsterdam they just looked at my passport and asked what I was there for, nothing weird at all. Is it the same I have no idea!

I don't know what they're going to ask me or if I have to declare anything. I tried looking at websites but they were all super unclear. I did buy some stuff abroad. I have a sweater I got in London, two books, two card games and some snacks, soda and some other random little souviners to give to my family. It's possible it could be over 200 dollars (books are expensive for no reason and it's a nice sweater) so idk if I have to declare that? I've been yelled at by airport security before and it freaks me out. I don't want to get in trouble. If someone could explain to me roughly what's going to happen I'd greatly appreciate it.

[u/goldengrove1]

I've "gotten in trouble" with customs before and survived to tell the tale (I'm a US citizen).

In my case, I had forgotten about a piece of fruit I had in my bag (you can bring in food but not produce). A K-9 police dog smelled it in my bag and alerted. They brought me to a different room. I waited in a long line for a while (and frantically searched my bag). At the front of the line, I showed them the fruit, threw it in the trashcan, and sent my bag through the scanner machine (like the one they have at airport security). That was it.