Welcome to the 2025 Fall Semester! A time for chilly 60-degree weather, PSLs, and chunky sweaters. Whether you like it or not, it’s also time for class! You might think you’re exempt from school supplies shopping as a college student, but I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. Sure, your professor is not sending out a colorfully labeled checklist of items ranging from a wide-ruled notebook and Crayola colored pencils, but how else are you supposed to know what to bring with you on your first day of classes? Here are my top five essentials for surviving the fall semester!
- Ditch the heavy notebooks. They’re giving you chronic back pain at the ripe age of 18. Start carrying around a thin binder. It might sound like a bad idea now, but if you purchase the right binder, your back will thank you later. INFU’s All-in-one Telescoping Binder Notebook is the perfect size for all your notes and any loose handouts from professors. Carrying around a binder also ensures that you will never leave the wrong notebook behind in your dorm. Everything you need will be in one place. Simple and pain-free!
- A functional laptop. Yes, your MacBook works perfectly fine. But let’s be honest, if you’ve had the same computer since the eighth grade, the computer’s fan might start sounding like your laptop is ready for takeoff, and that’s not a good sign. Investing in a new laptop, although it is certainly expensive, is a wonderful decision to ensure no technological troubles add to the stresses that will naturally arise throughout the semester, especially since you will be using your computer all of the time.
- Remember those colorful pens your mom said you couldn’t buy because they weren’t on the class supplies list? Well, being an adult means you can buy them for yourself! Maybe they aren’t the most crucial item in your backpack, but color-coding different subjects can further organize your notes and alleviate the stress that accompanies a mess of papers in a binder. I personally love the Paper Mate felt tip pens because they feel like the perfect blend of a pen and a marker, and they don’t bleed through paper! You also won’t need to purchase highlighters since you’ll have so many colored pens to choose from to make annotations with instead. They’re also just fun and can motivate you to write notes.
- A snack and a water bottle are a necessity. Maybe you are telling yourself you’ll just eat after class. But the truth is, lots of classes happen at the awkward time between breakfast and lunch, and you’re absolutely starving. I love my hot pink Stanley, but Owala’s are also adorable for class! So just bring a snack and some water so you can maintain your focus. Most professors pay no attention to you eating in class as long as you aren’t disturbing anyone.
- A just-in-case sweater is perfect for the midday chill that creeps in during those first few days of the fall semester. I know you still haven’t put your summer wardrobe away, but fall is closer than you think. Keeping a sweater on hand can really help you focus, since shivering in class is not the ideal learning condition. Boho Pink has the cutest sweater collection for fall if you’re looking to add some to your wardrobe. I promise that it can’t hurt to bring a sweater!
Maybe it’s the aspiring teacher in me, but you are never too old for a “school supplies” list; they just start to look different as you get older. Planning never gets old, though, and planning out the materials you’ll need to succeed brings you a step closer to success!