From work, to the beach, to internships, to the mall, to friends’ houses, we Collegiettes are constantly on the move. I don’t know about you, but my summers are always packed with things to do, places to go, and people with see. I rarely go home, and basically, live out of my car. But, by keeping these few things on hand at all times, I always manage to be everywhere on time, looking and feeling great!
1. Make-up removing wipes. Sometimes you just want to get rid of that layer of sunscreen from your face, or last night’s makeup that you neglected to take off. In any case, wipes make it easy and quick to give your skin nice clean, and a fresh start.
2. A nail file. How many times have you broken a nail and said “Ugh I wish I had a nail file right now…”? Never again, Collegiettes, never again.
3. Chapstick/Vaseline. Anyone who knows me at all knows I always have some kind of Vaseline/petroleum jelly on me at all times for lip care. Nobody likes to have chapped lips!
4. Extra hair elastic/bobby pins. My hair elastics always break at the worst possible times! Avoid a hair fiasco and have an extra in your purse – you’ll be glad.
5. Toothbrush and Toothpaste. You never know when you’ll end up sleeping out somewhere or eat something extremely garlicky for lunch and really want to get a good brush in (gum doesn’t always do the trick)! Floss can be helpful too.
6. Healthy Snacks. As I mentioned, I’m always traveling and never know when I’ll get caught in that pesky Cape traffic. Having non-perishable food items like trail mix or granola bars in your car for hunger emergencies can definitely come in handy when you need a little pick-me-up.
7. A hairbrush. Sometimes running a brush through your hair is the only primping you need. I have one of those cute brushes that folds up and has a mirror inside – super portable!
8. Baby powder. This is a MIRACLE WORKER when you wake up late, get out of work, don’t feel like washing your hair, etc. Sprinkle some in the greasy spots of your hair and pat it down so it can absorb some of the oils in your hair and makes it look 10x better (and cleaner). You can find travel-size bottles of it for $0.99 at CVS.
9. Lip stick/stain/gloss. Because a little lip color can spruce up your look in about 2 seconds and make it look like you actually tried to look nice (even if you didn’t).
10. BAND-AIDS. This may be one of the most important things I have in my bag. If I wear any kind of cute shoes at all I get blisters. My feet thank me for this one.
11. Deodorant/perfume/body spray. Whether you leave the gym or work or just don’t smell all that nice, it’s always good to know you can fix that problem immediately!
12. Extra Socks. It may sound odd, but I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone into work from the beach and forgotten to bring socks! Wearing your work sneakers without socks in the middle of summer is awful, I promise.
Additional things I always have in my purse are: a pen, a small bottle of Tylenol, hand sanitizer, an extra case for my contacts, gum, and a travel-sized lotion. Yes, I do carry a rather large bag around, but I’m always ready for whatever comes my way.
So, Collegiettes, consider putting these things in your bag or car so you, too, can be prepared for any situation!