It’s your first year in college and you feel anxious, nervous, and excited all at once. You feel like an adult, and you stayed up all night binge-watching freshmen advice videos on YouTube to prepare yourself on what to bring but there are some important items that are left unsaid. Snacks and toiletries in bulk are important items, but what if I told you that backpack and pencil case you’ve had since fifth grade is unnecessary? From a college junior like myself, here are the essentials that are actually going to help you in college.
Paper Plates
The campus cafeteria will always be there for you, but the food quickly gets old, and you will want to eat in your room at some point. There will also be days where your schedule gets the best of you, and you may want to eat what you have in your room. Paper plates will be your best friend, because that pizza from yesterday and your hot pockets will need to be on a plate and in the microwave. Paper plates also come in handy when you have guests, or little messy things like cinnamon rolls or cake, and are disposable. The fact that they are disposable is useful for the times when you don’t want to wash dishes, especially since most dorms do not have a sink in the room.
A Beauty Skill or Hack
I’ve seen a lot of women travel all the way back to their hometown in order to get their nails or hair done, and that is honestly such an inconvenience. I am not a cosmetology professional by any means; however, I know how to do my nails well and make my hair look presentable, so I never have to worry about finding someone else to do those things. Knowing how to make yourself look good would be such a valuable skill for yourself, and even others if you can do it on other people. If you have a nail, hair, or makeup business, you will flourish on campus because most people struggle to find that, especially at campuses in small towns. If you like to change your hair often, simple alternatives like drawstring ponytails, wigs or clip in extensions would be in your best interest. Luckily, there are lots of tutorials on YouTube to get you started, so don’t panic.
Pocket Change
Those late-night cravings will hit more often than not, and those vending machines will tempt you until you give in! The debit card option may be out of order that day, so those coins buried at the bottom of your purse will finally come in handy. Secondly, some schools require payment for printing, and the printing cost per paper was ten cents a couple years ago and the spare change I had was a life saver. Lastly, clubs/organizations on campus will always have fundraisers and things like snow cones, cookies, or other baked goods could be fifty cents per item or two for a dollar. That pocket change you have saved up would really be useful for this situation, especially if they don’t have change for bills and you still want to show support. Paying with cash could be faster than Cash App sometimes too when there is a line or bad Wi-Fi connection.
Laptop Case/Bag
You can totally bring a backpack if you want to, especially if it’s the most comfortable option for you. However, if you don’t want to have a full backpack but need something to hold your stuff, a laptop case is the perfect solution. Most people have laptops on campus, and they are useful to bring to class, so a case to carry it in (preferably one with a strap) is essential. Many laptop cases have multiple pockets or a lot of room for other things, so it could double as a “backpack” and hold your journals and pencils. If you want to tap into your feminine side, you can opt for a handbag or a cute tote bag to bring your supplies in instead. Unlike high school, there aren’t any limits for what to carry your stuff in, so have fun with it and choose what’s more comfortable for you.
3-Subject Notebooks
Depending on your major, some classes don’t utilize notebooks that often, especially the entire thing. Some, however, may require too many notes and make you purchase multiple notebooks every semester. Carrying multiple notebooks with you is simply unnecessary, so a three-subject notebook is perfect. You can use the same one for different classes and multiple semesters, and that saves a lot of money. Some students prefer typing their notes, and don’t have to buy notebooks at all!