My Backpack Essentials (College)
Aside from textbooks and class materials, here are some things that I have found to be incredibly useful for long days at school:
Planner: My planner is what keeps my life from spiraling into an abyss of confusion and stress. I use it to jot down and keep track of any deadlines or events that come up.
Small notebook: Mine doubles as a bullet journal as well as a notepad for thoughts and ideas. In addition to my planner, I like to write out a tentative, detailed schedule / plan of action for each day - Crossing out tasks is one of the most satisfying feelings ever. One of my goals for this year is to write more, so having a notebook on hand keeps me accountable. I’m less prone to forgetting or losing inspiration if I write a thought down right away rather than try to remember it later.
Pencil case: I keep pencils, pens, erasers, highlighters, post-it notes, and paper clips - basically every utensil that I would need for class or a study session. I hate having to dig through my backpack for a pencil, so having it all in one place is nice.
Lotion & lip balm: When my lips or hands are dry, I tend to focus on the discomfort of it, which prevents me from paying attention to class or whatever I’m studying.
Hand sanitizer: Some people are sick. Some people are gross. Colleges have a lot of people in a small area. Sometimes bathrooms run out of soap.
Feminine hygiene products: Mother Nature is full of surprises. Even if you don’t think you need to have some with you at all times, a friend might and you’ll be a superhero.
Tissues: Sniffling like a bunny in class because your nose is runny isn’t fun.
Water bottle: Staying hydrated is the key to good health, good skin, and staying awake. If you’re feeling burned out and unfocused, chugging some cold water could help. I like to keep a reusable water bottle so I can refill it at water fountains.
Travel mug: I love having caffeine or just some herbal tea with me for long study sessions. It’s a lot cheaper to make your own coffee/tea or to fill up your mug at the dining hall rather than go to Starbucks/your campus coffeeshop.
Medicine & band-aids: Vital for headaches, cramps, colds, allergy season, accidental boo boo’s, etc.
Floss: This sounds strange, but there have been so many times where something has stubbornly gotten stuck in my teeth at the worst possible moments (think before speeches, presentations, interviews).
Headphones: Awesome for walking to class, concentrating while studying, and avoiding people you don’t want to talk to.
Glasses: I wear contacts, and glasses are great for when your contacts get dry and uncomfortable or you accidentally rip one.
Cash: I don’t recommend carrying around a lot, but there are some places that don’t accept cards.
Homework/study material that don’t require extreme focus: Bring some assignments or notes to review that aren’t too labor-intensive for those chunks of time between classes or your commuting time. I find it difficult to sit down and work on something “big” if I only have a 30 minute time slot, but a lot that can be accomplished during that time! I recommend looking over notes, watching tutorial videos, or looking at flashcards.
Laptop/tablet: None of my classes allow having a laptop in class, but I use it all the time for homework and studying.
Snacks: Food = energy and motivation.
I hope this is helpful for some of you! Best of luck and happy studying :)
