Preparing yourself for college, or ordering everything you need after your term starts is a spectrum, with most falling between these two. Odds are that you’ll forget something as you arrive, be that a toothbrush, a notebook or even your home comforts. Never fear, because most of these can be purchased anew.
For this reason, it’s good to make a full list of everything you need, and strike off everything you’ve remembered. From there, as you learn more about your course and its needs, you can begin to complete your possession list. But it’s not just about the course either, relaxing comfortably and taking a load off outside your studies and work means investing in a few comforts, especially if you’ve been a little homesick as of late.
In this post, we’ll discuss four excellent purchases to make before, or during, your college term. Without further ado, let’s get started:
Course-Related Devices
Of course, having a laptop or digital notebook to hand can be very important when planning out your university experience. But some of these measures can be course-specific as well, such as the best tablet for graphic design or architecture courses, as these help you digitally illustrate your concepts and will work well alongside the Adobe creative suite and other excellent design programs. Having these to hand, or waiting until your course starts to know what kind of tools you need, can help you make the best choice. Better yet, you may be able to find some great last-minute deals after most students have purchased their devices, and so you could be in with a bargain, a second hand or even refurbished model.
Cookware & Secure Containers
Most students living in accommodation will share with others, unless you’re lucky enough to have your own place or live at home and drive in to your classes. In these cases, it’s important to provide for yourself with cookware you can use to scrape up some tasty and nutritious meals. Meal prep is a great way to go about that. Making sure you have at least one good cutting knife, chopping boards, set of pans, plates and cutlery is key. Also, secure containers (yes, some even contain digi-locks) can also help you protect against food thieves, which, unfortunately, are not uncommon in shared temporary accommodations like this. Of course, if you can afford it on a student budget, investing in a mini fridge in your room can be a great method of keeping special treats safe.
A Good Pair Of Headphones
Ultimately, studying requires intense focus, and distractions from others around you, be that parties in your dorm at night, other students in the library yapping it up, or just generally adapting to a a new city environment can take our focus away. That’s why it’s good to invest in a helpful pair of headphones, preferably wireless, but corded is just as valid. This way, you can put on your favorite ambient music and get concentrating, a sort of pre-ritual that helps you remain productive. You can also use these when working out, meditating, or simply consuming media on your laptop when you’re relaxing in the evening. Headphones go a long way to providing comfort for you, so definitely keep them to hand.
A Robust, Multi-Use Backpack
Your backpack is your friend during your college years, because it will contain everything you need, keep expensive items like laptops safe, and can be used with several compartments to help you plan out your day. For example, you might have a space particularly for gym equipment, a water bottle holder separate to your documents (preventing accidental spills from ruining the internals), and different compartments for personal items and course-related papers.
This backpack should ideally be waterproof, and should be perfectly fitting for your frame when the straps are adjusted, allowing you to walk with equal weight distribution around campus and never causing cramps or aches as a result. This might sound like a trite purchase, but you can absolutely tell the difference between a well-constructed backpack and a cheaper model that may snap within six months. You don’t have to break the bank, but absolutely invest in quality if you hope to keep this with you throughout the years, it will be a lifesaver in more ways than one, and never leave you as you leave your front door to start your daily studies.
With this advice, you’re sure to make several investments work appreciating before your college term starts.
