Hey guys!
Let's be real, going back-to-school shopping is never easy. Shopping for school any time is never easy. There are millions of options that are all so appealing. Stationary is addicting and technology can be overwhelming but probably something we will all want to incorporate in our education. There is so much you can buy for college but honestly, not much is needed. Being a college student has taught me that expenses will always come up so being smart with your money is super important. By buying only what is necessary and shopping wisely, you can be saving some money that will later be helpful to have. Now, I understand that everyone is different and everyone's situation is different but I am going to share my experience. Maybe you will be able to learn a thing or two and that is okay. It is definitely a learning process until you find what is right for you; but maybe this post could somewhat guide you!
Unlike high school, my backpack in high school is so light weight. I don't carry nearly as much as I did in high school and I am so happy about that. Luckily, I had no back to back classes so I was able to go back to my dorm if I needed anything or had forgotten something. But sometimes it is not possible so it is important to carry everything you need in your backpack for your entire day.
I have a Right Pack Jansport backpack and it is probably one of my favorites from all the backpacks I had (including an old purse, a regular basic off brand backpack, and one of those Tumblr looking canvas backpacks that were way too small to carry anything). I really don't remember when I got it but I don't think I'll be changing it anytime soon. Although I love it so much, I do have to say, one thing I would add is a place to put my water bottle in. Aside from that, it works its purpose and it is just great. If I am not wrong my sister and I got the same one in different colors for sale so if you are interested always be on the look out for when they are a bit more affordable!! In this specific post, I am going to talk about some of the school supplies I carry in my backpack, however, I can always go into further detail about what else I carry in it in a "What's in my Backpack" post if you guys are interested! Anyways, let me begin rambling about some of the school supplies that I bought and will continue buying due to how great they are!
1. Three-Subject Notebook (or five-subject)
I had no clue what to buy in college at all. I even didn't know if I would need notebooks (silly me). I knew I would be taking four classes so I would need four notebooks. That's what I did in high school. I carried individual notebooks for each class I took. However, I did not want to do that in college because it got hard keeping up with all the notebooks and carrying more than one notebook added extra weight that could be avoided. I finally opted for a three division notebook that would allow me to keep all my work in one place. This way I didn't have to worry about potentially misplacing my notebooks. I am aware that some classes are more note heavy so this can be tricky but I think that with limited space, you are forced to copy only essential information! If you are to run out of room (something that I personally haven't) you can always use filler paper and put it in the corresponding folder of each section the notebooks have. This personally worked for me and helped me be a lot more organized than I thought I could. As for my fourth class, as some of you might be wondering, I will get to further along the post.
2. Limited Stationary
Since I did have a notebook, I needed something to write in it. Although it might be compelling to buy all the aesthetic and trendy stationary, sometimes that could amount to ALOT of money. So here are some of the things I do definitely recommend buying because they were key to my education. Pencils and pens. You do not need a lot, just a couple that are going to be long-lasting!! I am in love with TUL after a friend introduced me to them! Their pencils and pens are amazing!! They are great quality and super durable. Although they are on the pricier side compared to BIC and Papermate, there are sales that Office Depot runs where you can save some money on them (normally they are discounted and then they combine a offer such as buy one and get another half off). As for colorful pens, I would not say they are a necessity but they are sure helpful when taking notes or organization your planner. With them, you can color code things in your notes and planner. This could be helpful if you are a visual person. I use the Papermate InkJoy pens and they are worthy of my love! Again, I found these on sale at Walmart during Back-to-School shopping season so be on the lookout for discounts!! Overall, I think that they are great quality and not too costy. So far, none have dried up on me and work like new! Other things that I found important to include that might be overlooked are: whiteout, highlighters, paperclips, and a mini stapler. Whiteout is just so nice to have if you write in pen a lot because you can easily get rid of a mistake you make along the way. Highlighters can be convenient to carry in case you get a handout in class you might need to annotate or to highlight key points in a book you are reading. Paperclips and a mini stapler are something not many carry but will always need at one point. It is nice to carry both in case you have to turn in physical copies of assignments or tests that might need to be stapled or put together. These small items that I mentioned last do not have to cost you an arm and a leg. You can find simple options at a dollar store, or like me, at your school's club rush. Clubs are always giving free items so take advantage of those! At my orientation, during club rush, I got a free mini highlighter set, a free tool kit that included tons of mini paperclips and a mini stapler that has come in a clutch in my classes! Although they are tiny, they are important!
3. Planner
I don't think there will ever be a post without me encouraging or pushing you guys to get a planner. I think it is one of those things that you pick up as you get older but trust me, the sooner you bring one into your life, the faster you will get used to using one. Planners are so helpful with not missing due dates (or at least making the effort to not miss them lol), being on time to events, and to pace yourself. I like to deadlines for myself and to break up assignments in order to not feel everything hit me at once. By breaking an assignment into smaller tasks on separate days, you will have one less thing to do later on. It will be worth it!! Having a planner that allows you to see your entire month planned out is nice because you become aware of what is to come and lets you get ready for that. It is just so nice to be able to see your whole month or week planned out in front of you instead of just having a list on your phone in your notes app (a great start don't get me wrong) that you might not look at too often! Point is, get a planner, any kind, a DIY one even, and use it to organize your life.
4. iPad
Okay, I know that this is not something that everyone might be able to afford, but it is definitely an investment in your education that is worth making. I have never had an iPad before this one. I only had a Dell laptop from around 2014 or 2015 that does the its job! I never knew what an iPad could be used for to help my education until I started using it in college. I do not want to go too deep into this because I have a separate post coming up about how I use my iPad in college. An iPad is a great asset because you are able to download textbooks, articles that are assigned to read, slides from the presentation used in class and more. Although you could do this in a computer, with an iPad, you can annotate them with a stylus or your finger! This is so much engaging than reading it from a screen and just typing notes next to it! If you think about it, in the long run, it will save you money and help you be more environmentally friendly! You will be utilizing less paper and not have to possibly buy overpriced textbooks that you will be using once! There is so much I could say about iPads and why they are great which is why I am dedicating their own post to them (lol), so be on the lookout for that one!
5. Sticky Notes
My favorite. I have been using and buying sticky notes for as long as I could remember. I like to think (or at least hope) that everyone uses these in their life because they are just so great. I always say that they are multi-purpose which is heavenly! I use these to note what I need to do, write down an important thought that came up at the most random time which I will probably forget later on, scribble side notes that I do not necessarily want in my actual notes but are still important, and more.There are so many ways you can use sticky notes for and I don't think I even know all! I just know it is important to carry some everywhere you go! It doesn't hurt to have them with you and could benefit you at some point!! Yes we could use our phone to write in our notes but if I am being honest I have many notes in my phone that I forgot I even had since I always forget to look back at them! With sticky notes, it's hard to miss! My personal favorite are the recycled paper notes; they are in a beautiful color scheme and are environmental friendly!!
The key thing I want you to take away is to be smart. Do research. Look at what other people in your major are buying. Look at what friends are buying. Reflect on what you used in high school and how that worked out. Also, look for sales and look for affordable alternatives. I did this and saved so much! I got quality items for less than their usual price which is always a bonus! If you ever have questions on what to buy and would like to talk it out, shoot me an email! I would love to talk about it! Be smart and not impulsive!! I hope that you were able to learn something from this that you could apply to your own life! Let me know if you did down below!
Until next time,
Diana