Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Life

My Go-To College Essentials

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ohio U chapter.

As a freshman in college you may have no idea what to get for your classes; how many notebooks, calculators, pens or pencils, etc. Some things you might need but your professor might not tell you until the first day of class or in an email with the syllabus. These are the go-to college essentials that I get before I even start classes because you have to start somewhere. My go-to college supplies are nothing special but they get the job done.

 

A Planner

A planner is a must especially if you have class, work, or other extracurriculars. If you like to journal, you could incorporate your journal and your planner in one book if you so choose. A July through June planner works perfectly if you are only taking classes in the fall and spring semesters. If you like using your phone calendar, that works too.

Pens

Pens, we all know there are good and bad pens, but that is dependant on our writing style and the pressure we use. My favorites are both the Pilot G2 Pens or the Papermate Inkjoy. Both are gel pens that dry fast.

Notebooks

College students take a lot of notes. I get one 5 subject notebook in college ruled, and I use the app Evernote for my class notes.

 

A Computer

With the Evernote app download, and to be able to type your essays, you will need a computer of some sort. I personally recommend a MacBook Air if it is just for daily use, class notes, and regular computer use. If you want something different and cheaper, a Chromebook would do the trick.

Snacks

Any type of caffeine, a water bottle, or a snack is a must. All three will help you stay more attentive in class because you are awake, hydrated, or not hungry.

Textbooks

Last but not cheapest, textbooks. What I have found is renting a book from Amazon or Chegg is the best way to go. When you rent a book, you don’t have to keep it forever and have it collect dust. Amazon and Chegg typically follow the months that school is in session, so you shouldn’t have to worry if you have to turn your book in before classes end. You will just have to mail the book back by the due date so you are not charged a fee. 

You can even order all your supplies through Amazon and shipped to school because Amazon has everything. College is a great experience, but being prepared for class is the most important.

Abi is currently a sophomore at Ohio University. When she is not writing, she can be found working, binging shows on Netflix, or hanging out with her nephews.