New solo traveler needs advice

I'm a 27 year old female looking to do my first international solo trip. When is the best time to travel (I'm thinking around October) and place to stay in Fiji? I don't mind staying in a hostel. If I only am able to spend 7-10, what are the must see places. I'm open to "jumping around" the island. I would like to stay around budget of roughly $100-$150 USD a day.

With your budget you definitely don't have to stay in hostels! :-)
With 10 days I would recommend encircling the main island of Viti Levu, then spending a few days on the beach on one of the offshore islands.
If you prefer to go further, your budget should also allow you to fly somewhere like Taveuni or Kadavu.

Do you want to meet up with other people? Start out with Nadi and I would recommend you head down to the New Town Beach area, there are about 10 hotels by the beach there and backpackers come and go from and to various parts of Fiji, - it's not your golden sand, snorkelling beach but most places have a pool and you can walk along the brown sand by the sea and feel like you are in the pacific not a busy town and you can meet other like minded travellers.
Many hotels and resorts in Fiji have dorms plus hotel rooms so you can stay in a nicer room ( about $100 for the one I stayed at on the beach in Nadi) and there will still be other travellers you can meet up with and chat to to get an idea of where they have been, did and didn't like etc. If you are happy in dorms they will be about $30 but some are quite crowded and hot.
I travelled around the main islands of Fiji last May/ June and really enjoyed my stay on Nananu I ra near Rakiraki but at that time I was with a friend- it would have felt quite lonely otherwise. Nananu I ra has been quite badly hit with the cyclone but some places are operating still and I'm sure the others will be back up and running with a month or so.
Savusavu on Vanuatu Levu was another place I enjoyed ( and has also been hit quite bad) good snorkelling and plenty of choices for eating and sleeping, not too much hype, more of a place people live rather than a tourist destination. Choose your island stays carefully, don't go too cheap , some of the places are quite nasty or overpriced and you will be stuck there. The Yasawas have some nice options but do a little research and be prepared to spend more of you budget per night than on the mainland

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I would like to meet up with other backpackers.

Then I would suggest staying at Smugglers, Aquarius or Bamboo Hotel in Nadi and then heading out to the Yasawas, or maybe mamanucas if you don't want to travel so far by boat. Have a look at the Octopus Resort, The Funky Fish and just info on the Yasawas and Mamanuca Islands in general. Stay somewhere that is popular so that it is more likely others will be there

Thank you! This is super helpful!

Do you recommend any resorts or other places to stay at while on the mainland?

This place is sg of a rare combination of a budget resort and a backpackers' on the Coral Coast, well located for visiting various sights in that area:
http://www.fiji4less.com/tuba.html

I'd also recommend spending some time in Suva, the capital. There is a range of accommodation available there, where I stay may be too low budget (backpackers' style) for you. ;-)
Nonetheless, I met many interesting people there:
http://www.fiji4less.com/south.html

Of course there are plenty of other options.

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