The commuter-life proves to be rather complicated in comparison to living in the dorms. For instance, it is rather difficult remembering all of the items you might need for an eight hour or more school day without the luxury of going back to the dorms right across the street. Being a commuter student is basically traveling without a suitcase; you have to cram as many essentials as possible into your backpack while running out of the house. To make your commuting as stress-free as possible, take note of the ten essentials below that can remain in your car to sustain you throughout the school day.
1.Lunch Box – Snacks are CRUICAL! The day feels unbearable if your stomach growls throughout your classes, but commuting college students do not have the funds, nor the meal points, to buy overpriced meals and snacks. Treat yourself to a well-insulated lunch box with ice packs and store as much food as possible!
2. Water Bottle – A large, well-insulated water bottle, such as a Hydroflask, is a lifesaver! Sometimes they can be heavy to carry around, but if you drop a few ice cubes into the water and leave the bottle in the car, you will still have cold, refreshing water the entire day. No need to waste money on plastic water bottles or sacrifice your immune system by drinking from the water fountain.
3. Make-Up – Sometimes the day begins too early and you must decide between putting on makeup or making it to class on time. Avoid the stress of the decision and keep simple makeup, such as face powder and mascara, in your car. It can also be a helpful convenience if your friends decide to meet up for dinner, and you want to touch up your makeup after a long day at school.
4. Phone/Computer Chargers – Even if you save data by using Spotify Premium, constantly listening to music will completely drain your battery. A car charger is very useful while driving to and from school, but also keep a typical plug-in wall charger in your backpack in case of emergencies.
5. Extra Outfit – Comfort is key! There are no qualms about wearing a stylish outfit all day to school if you know there is a comfortable back up plan in your car. Leggings are a cozy fashion statement that can be useful for a last minute decision to hit the gym before heading home.
6. Tylenol – You never know when dehydration or computer screens will cause a migraine. Keep Tylenol or Advil readily available in your car if your head starts pounding when you have a full day of classes ahead of you.
7. Sweatshirt – Hot sunshine is a prediction for ice-cold classrooms! Even if you get sun burnt from walking to class, carry a sweatshirt just in case your classroom’s temperature is equivalent to an Alaskan snowstorm.
8. Deodorant – When you commute, there is no option to head to the dorm and shower before dinner. Even if you do not plan on going to the gym, keep an extra stick of deodorant (even perfume too!) in your to car to keep yourself smelling fresh.
9. Menstruation Products – Sometimes that “time of the month” sneaks up on you! Sometimes it can be embarrassing to grab a pen out of your backpack but a tampon falls out instead, so keep some extra pads and tampons in your car. Commuters cannot go home quickly in between classes to salvage their clothes after bleeding through, so hopefully these prepared supplies will catch the surprise before it becomes terrible.
10. ALL books – There is not enough time, nor funds for gas fill-ups, to drive home and pick up a forgotten book. Keeping everything in your car prevents this issue and also motivates you to get homework done for classes later in the week.
With these essentials only one click of a car key away, commuters will no longer feel stranded with just the clothes on their backs and the books in their