There’s no doubt that what you need to survive college is different than what you used in high school. When I was a freshman, I was completely unaware of that- so in normal freshman fashion, I showed up for my first day with way too many school supplies that I used maybe once during the entire semester. The transition into college is a tough one, but knowing what you’ll need to succeed during the semester is a step in the right direction. Here are some essentials that I find myself using almost daily.
1. Laptop
Not a day goes by where I don’t need my laptop. Whether it’s for classes, work, or just to keep me entertained I find myself constantly reaching for it in my bag. In college, most of your work is going to be online (even some of your exams) so you’re going to want to have it with you. My laptop is a MacBook Air so it’s light, fast, and easy to carry.
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2. Headphones
Just like with my laptop, I use my AirPods every day. Walking across campus? Put your headphones in and listen to music until you get there. Need help concentrating in the library? Headphones in, distractions out.
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3. Spotify or Apple Music
With student discounts offered, you really have no excuse not to upgrade to Spotify Premium or Apple Music. It’s a game-changer when it comes to listening to music, and I promise listening to music is something you’re going to do a LOT.
4. Pens
I’m a big fan of felt pens because they look nicer with my handwriting. I’ll usually stock up on the classic Papermate Flair Pens and they last the entire school year. These Stabilo Pens are also really good quality and don’t bleed through the paper. If you like Gel Pens, I suggest just getting the basic ones that come in packs of 30 plus because they’ll run out pretty quickly.
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5. Highlighters
No joke, they key to my notes and studying is highlighters. There’s something about having good-looking notes makes doing the actual work more bearable (and actually kind of nice). My favorite highlighters are these pastel ones from Zebra. But, if you want to keep things classic and simple Sharpie Highlighters are a go-to brand.
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6. Planner
You need a planner. Professors in college will not remind you of upcoming dates or deadlines so it’s all on you. So do your future self a favor and get a planner to write down all of the due dates from the syllabus.
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7. One Notebook
Yes, that’s right. No more lugging around five notebooks all day. Since most of the work assigned in college is online, I find that you just need one notebook with space for each class. Five-Star has multi-subject notebooks that are perfect for the semester schedule.
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