If you are anything like me, you are bogged down with readings, problem sets, studying for exams, and participating in extracurricular activities. There is a good chance that there will be days where you leave your dorm in the morning and won’t see the sweet sight of your bed until the wee hours the following morning. Being the fabulous creatures we are, this means we have to be prepared to take on the world (or at the very least our, campus) at the drop of a hat.
Carrying the following items will help us do that. I’d never leave home without them.
1. Spare hair tie – You know what I’m talking about ladies. You go out of your way to make sure that your hair looks fabulous only to be surprised by a sudden bout of muggy, wet weather that’s sure to turn your perfectly coiffed “do” into a perfectly hideous Bozo-the-Clown style disaster. Pull out your spare hair tie and stick it to Mother Nature.
2. Small, portable umbrella – You never know when there will be an unexpected Williamsburg rainstorm.
3. Handkerchief – While this is a pretty “old school item,” a good hanky goes a long way. You can use them for wiping your hands and face, blowing your nose, and drying your eyes without having to look for a tissue. Although a good hanky needs to be laundered regularly at the risk of being unhygienic, they come in useful and can be a fun throwback to yesteryears.
4. Hand sanitizer – For simply preventing the spread of germs. We are all living relatively close together, and we’re all bound to catch a cold, at some point or another.
5. Lotion or body mist – A small bottle keeps you smelling sweet, even though you may be running (and sweating) frantically between classes. Bath & Body Works has a wide array of well-priced mini bottles perfect for carrying with you in your schoolbag.
6. Mints or gum – They help you concentrate AND give you that oh-so-kissable fresh breath. My favorite? The tangy deliciousness of Orange Tic Tacs.
7. Floss picks – There’s no excuse for poor oral hygiene, and you don’t want to be caught dead walking around campus with a piece of food stuck between your teeth. So make your dentist happy and use those floss picks!
8. Lip balm– Lock in moisture and avoid getting chapped on those balmy days. For a delicious twist, try Burt’s Bees Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit.
9. Stapler – You’d be surprised how few staplers are housed in the academic buildings, computer labs, and libraries on our campus. Take it from someone who has been there, don’t find yourself at a loss to find a single staple in order turn in your paper to that fussy professor. It’s not worth losing a good grade after all of your hard work!
10. Your “Smarty Pants Playlist” and a good pair of headphones– Research has shown that classical music may stimulate a positive mood, increased verbal ability and spatial-temporal reasoning. I typically find that listening to most orchestral music and film scores while I study allows me to focus solely on the work in front of me, as opposed to music with lyrics.
And there you have it my fellow collegiettes, a few simple items to help the rest of you tribe girls on the go!