Written by Victoria B.
As an incoming student there are probably so many questions churning in your head. One thing that I was unsure about was what to put in my back pack. There are certain things that you’ll want to keep in your back pack to ensure a smooth school year. Here are ten things you will want to keep in your back pack at all times:
1. A good number of pens and pencils (and pencil sharpener)
You want to have more than one pen and pencil in your back pack. You’d be surprised how many pens and pencils you lose throughout the semesters. If you chose to use regular pencils over mechanical ones, carrying around a sharpener is your best bet. Most classrooms don’t have pencil sharpeners in them.
2. A planner
Having a planner is an essential for a successful college student. (Read How to Best Utilize Your Planner(s).) You may think you can remember everything, but having a planner and writing things down ensures that you will be organized. You can check it for homework, due dates, and events. Almost every student carries a planner.
3. Emergency money
I always keep an extra five-to-ten dollars in my back pack, just in case. You never know when you may need some money. If you are in a rush one morning and you forget your wallet at home, you know you have some emergency money tucked away in your back pack that you can use to grab something to eat and get you through the day. There’s nothing worse that being hungry and having no way to get food.
4. A water bottle and a snack
A water bottle was not something I thought about bringing with me until I was in class one day and couldn’t stop thinking about how thirsty I was. If you bring a water bottle with you, it’s more convenient then searching for a water fountain or buying one at Starbucks. Also, it would be ideal to bring a granola bar, a yogurt, or maybe some fruit that you can eat really quickly in between class to give you that extra boost of energy and get you through that last class of the day. You’ll thank me for this one.
5. Post-It notes
You would be surprised how much having post it notes come in handy. There’s times when in class that my professor will say something important and the best thing to do is write it on a post-it and stick it somewhere you’ll see it again; I stick mine on the inside of my laptop.
6. Chap stick
I have caught myself so many times needing Chapstick and I didn’t have any with me. So, I definitely recommend keeping Chapstick in your back pack because you never know when you’ll need it.
7. Highlighters
This one is kind of a given. When reading texts for class it would help you a lot for studying or class discussions if you highlight key points in your readings. Also, you can highlight in your books rented from the University District bookstore!
8. An umbrella
When it rains and you’re on campus for the day, it can be very annoying to walk from building to building and not have an umbrella on you. Keep a small one in your back pack and you won’t have to worry about being soaked and uncomfortable in your classes.
9. Mini stapler
Professors in college never carry around staplers with them, but they almost always expect your papers to be stapled. There aren’t many on campus, except in the library. Many times, I have needed to staple papers last minute but have had nothing to staple them with. A mini stapler is something I 100% recommend you having.
10. Notebooks
This one is also another given. I suggest having one notebook for each class so you aren’t cramming your work for all of your classes in one notebook (that will get messy and most likely become unorganized). Even if you use a laptop or tablet to take notes, having extra notebook paper will definitely come in handy.
It’s important to remember that having these things in your back pack all the time leaves you prepared for when you least expect it! If you don’t use your mini stapler for the first few weeks, don’t take it out! Usually you end up needing things when you don’t have them, so always keep these and whatever items you feel necessary on your person, and you shouldn’t ever be unprepared!