Bonjour collegiettes! Welcome to a new semester at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto Rio Piedras or how I like to call it: the student jungle. One of the most important parts of surviving in this jungle is to carry with you the friend who will have your back (literally) during the semester: we’re talking about your backpack. Some of us will be stuck on campus for hours and away from home, so it’s important to cram all the essentials into it to get through the day. Are you one of those people who ends up forgetting the one thing you had to bring to class, or even worse, your money? Well, never fear, HerCampus has a few tips that will keep you covered.
Necessities: You know the things you have to carry with you every time you leave your house/dorm: phone, wallet, money, ID, keys. Even these obvious things are easy to forget when you are focused on getting dressed fast to make it to class on time. The trick is to have all those things in the same place, so when you look for one, the rest will be there and you won’t waste time searching everywhere for your keys or wallet
Materials: It all depends on the classes you’re taking. Here’s a list of things you probably need to bring to any class you take:
*Notebooks- to keep your notes up to date to get ahead on studying later.
*Pens and pencils- There has to be something to copy and underline important notes with.
*Computer/tablet- For those of you who prefer to take notes and keep them organized in files or for those who probably need them for any asigned lecture to bring to class and forgot to print it. (once again, technology saving us!)
*Folder- To keep important documents organized and safe.
Personal Items- Everybody has different needs to look after during the day. Some of you don’t really think of these when getting your backpack ready but it’s always good to have it in case of emergencies. Take note:
*Medicines- even if you don’t have any condition, it’s always good to have at least Advil in case you have a headache that will keep you from paying attention to class.
*Feminine Hygiene Products- You all ladies know!
*Jacket- some class rooms are freezers. Try to keep away from any cold or flu.
*Umbrella- Do you live in Puerto Rico? Well, you know how crazy the weather tends to be. It can be really sunny and all of a sudden a straight-up tsunami comes out of nowhere, especially here in Rio Piedras.
Food:
*Snacks- don’t let your hungry belly interrupt your concentration.
*Water- walking around campus with this heat is almost impossible if you don’t hydratate yourself.
*Mints: Keep your breath fresh.
Check this list out everytime you prepare your backpacks, and you’re always going to remain a happy camper!