The Back to School Essentials

*This post brought to you by Brita. All opinions are 100% mine.*

With the start of the new year there’s some necessary essentials every college student needs.

As a senior I’ve actually learned a few things about what you really need to make it through the year. Here are my top ten list of things you need to get when shopping for this school year.

1. A shower caddy – I don’t care if you’re male or female. A shower caddy is necessary if you’re living in a dorm. It makes it much easier to make sure you have everything you need when you go to the shower and who wants to put their washcloth on the floor while they shave? That’s gross.
2. Shower shoes– Sticking with the shower idea you definitely need shower shoes. Walking around in a communal shower barefoot is not cute especially when you think of all the germs that are probably lingering around. Get a cheap pair of flilp flops and wear those to the shower, in the shower, and out the shower. You’re welcome.
3. A backpack– Some underclassmen think having a backpak at college is lame but what’s really lame is carrying around a big purse that’s really heavy and may break because you think that looks cooler than a backpack. Just use a backpack. It’s easier to carry all your stuff and it just makes sense. Also you can get a cool looking a backpack almost anywhere. There’s some at Urban Outfitters, Victoria Secret’s, and other random stores. Backpacks are your friend.
4. A planner – One of the greatest things about being in college is not having anyone telling you what to do or where you need to be. The downside is there’s no one reminding you to do your homework, study for exams, or when your club meetings are. That’s why it’s great to have a planner. A planner will help you keep everything you need to get done in order so you don’t forget anything. You can keep track of when assignments are due, when your club meets, etc. It’ll make your life 10 times easier I promise.
5. A computer – I know computers are actually a luxury and not everyone can afford them but if you can you should dfeinitely get one. It’s much better to have your own personal computer especially when you need to finish that assignment at the last minute. It’s also a good way to take notes (as long as you don’t get distracted by Facebook).
6. Pens, pencils, and highlighters – This may seem cray since you’re in college now but even in college you need these bare essentials. If your professor doesn’t allow you to take notes on your computer these will be especially essential. Never forget it’s okay to take things back to basics.
7. Refrigerator– The common room fridge is not your friend. Although it sucks the truth is you can label your food and people will still eat it. #rude That’s why it’s great to have your own fridge. You’ll probably have to share it with your roommate but hopefully your roommate will respect your food. Definitely get your own fridge for your room if you can.
8. Amazon Prime – The great thing about Amazon is as a student you get a free trial of Prime for six months which if you time it right can get you prime on textbooks for two semesters. On average your textbooks are much cheaper on Prime and on those days when you just realized you actually do need that book it’s really convenient to have free two day shipping.
9. Camera – I know what you’re thinkg, “I have a camera on my phone!” Great but when something awesome amazing happens when enjoying your memorable (and sometimes not) college career you might want better quality than your camera phone. I’m not saying get a high tec fancy camera, but get a small, probably $50 digital camera to carry around. You’ll want to remember these four years. Trust me.
10. A Brita® water bottle or filter – Last but not least get yourself a Brita® water bottle or filter.Throughout the year you’re going to need water. That’s just a part of life. But rather than constantly buying water bottles (no one has money for that) get a Brita® reusable water bottle or a Brita® water filter that way you’re saving costs on constantly buying water and also saving the planet. Brita® products are available at Target.