As the Fall semester begins, everyone’s rushing to buy electronics, gadgets, and whatever else they imagine they’ll need. Whether these purchases are for aesthetics, productivity, or following trends is entirely up to the buyer. But in hopes of saving even a little bit, I’ll break down exactly what you should avoid buying for a simple and budget-friendly semester.
Unnecessary Electronics
One thing is for certain: you definitely don’t need both a new laptop and a new iPad. Electronics are way too expensive for us to buy in excess, so unless your program absolutely requires it, I highly recommend finding an alternative.
Personally, I believe it’s much more worthwhile to simply purchase an iPad and a Bluetooth keyboard to go along with it. This way, you can switch between writing and typing without breaking your budget. Also, there are so many keyboard options to choose from! Coming in all sorts of colours, patterns, and sizes, they are so customizable and will be worth your while.
A Study Aesthetic
On the topic of aesthetics, while it’s definitely important to like the look of what you’re buying, you do not need to look aesthetic 24/7. You don’t need thirty-dollar coquette notebooks or seven new decorations just to set a vibe. If these items improve your workflow or motivate you to study, then more power to you. If you’re simply buying them because you feel everything needs to look cute, you may just be stressing your bank account out for nothing.
It may be helpful to sit back and ask yourself if you really need the 24-pack of pastel Midliners just because you’re tired of the normal ones you bought last year. We may feel pressured to overconsume, but it only leads to greater stress throughout the school year!
A new wardrobe
If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve definitely heard of the back-to-school-haul. I can’t lie, it’s all very fun to watch. In general, back-to-school content is interesting because it makes the new semester feel exciting, like something to look forward to. In many ways, it should be something to look forward to! But while entertaining, this media will often tempt watchers into spending hundreds of dollars on a whole new wardrobe that they don’t actually want.
Oftentimes, we may feel like we have to buy them just because everyone else is. Instead of slowly accumulating staple pieces you really love over time, you’d be buying a bunch of mediocre clothes all at once, convincing yourself it’s “out of necessity.”
Believe it or not, your back-to-school haul doesn’t even need to be clothes. If you really want a certain hoodie or just really love that one top, then buy it! But don’t hit up the mall just because a new semester is beginning. Those new clothes will sit in your closet, and be forgotten before Reading Week.
Ten Different Planners
A weekly planner is a definite must-have for all students. They help you stay on track with assignments, manage outings, and keep you organized. But you definitely don’t need more than one. TikTok influencers will show off their Notion pages, then flip through their planners, before finally landing on their trusty calendar, but this process is useless.
The Calendar app is free on every device, you can download templates straight to Goodnotes, and a simple agenda will suffice if you prefer that paper feel. There’s a low chance of you being able to consistently update seven different planners, and an even smaller one that you’ll need them all. Save yourself the headache and pick only one. You’ll thank me.
At the end of the day, how you prepare for the new school year is up to you. But sometimes the best back-to-school purchase is the one you don’t make. You don’t need to buy an entirely new life every September. Enjoy what you have and buy what you need!