It’s August. That means the “summer sales” signs are dwindling while the “back to school” signs are multiplying at superstores everywhere.
Pens, notebooks and a new backpack are the obvious things to bring… but you’ll likely be forgetting all the small college necessities that are missing on the academic checklist. In preparing for the school year, be sure to pack up the following college treasures for academic success:
-Post-it-Notes – 3M can be so clutch to everyday college living. If you don’t have at least three packs of post it notes on your dorm room desk, you’re not doing it right. Post-it notes by your bed to jot down entrepreneurial master plans, note Hollywood script like dreams and random to-do list notes can be imperative to your college living. Carry a post-it pack in your backpack and have some around the apartment for your convenient note taking abilities.
-Printer – If your dorm doesn’t have a printer, definitely consider bringing one of your own. You don’t realize how much you print until you don’t have a printer around the corner and you can get affordable printers in the $100 price range; however, half the challenge of remembering to bring a printer is the struggle to bring extra ink cartridges, paper and a USB cord to connect it to the computer.
-Agenda/Planner – Never undermine the power of a planner. When college comes around, you know you’ll have tests, term papers, meetings and interviews among other college events. How will you keep everything straight? While you may be a braniac, you cannot remember everything. Thus, jot it down with a pocket planner or agenda that you can bring anywhere and pencil in dates on your mini calendar. If you’re the high-tech type, consider using G-Mail’s calendar to have your entire calendar on your phone and backed up online.
-Study Blue Phone App – Remember making flash cards in elementary school? More importantly, remember how efficient they were? History will repeat itself as you download this efficient app that provides you ease, convenience and the portability of notecards on your phone. Perfect for quick memorization or language learning, downloading Study Blue is a must. You can also checkout their online site to study on your computer. For other great phone apps, check out the “Finest Phone Apps to Make College Simple.”
-Books – Be sure you get your textbooks by the end of the first week of class. Some students prefer to wait until after the first week of class since professors may say the text is not necessary (as some teachers teach solely from their own notes), so if you buy early, be sure to keep the receipt just in case you swap classes. Check out Chegg for great college rental deals if you’re looking to save and opposed to the typically higher priced college bookstores.
-Calculator – Regardless of your major, just plan to bring a calculator to college. Be it a graphing calculator or little pocket calculator, you’ll surely find yourself in need of one for an eventual math class, to calculate your mid-term grade or to play random calculator games in between class.
Photo credit: Horia Varlan
