Back to school/college essentials

School is just about to begin! The enjoyable, school free summer is coming to an end and the new school year is beginning! Whether it is your first year of college, or your returning year, or you're still making your way through high school, knowing what to bring is always important! You can easily forget essential items (come on, we've all been there!) so, save yourself the panic in class on the first day when you've forgotten your pencil case! Here, I have compiled a list of essentials needed for college to start of the new academic year right!

First up, lets start with the obvious:

A school bag!

This is going to be thing that keeps all your textbooks, notes and personal belongings safe so I would recommended going for quality here! If you have to take a laptop to college, make sure to keep that in mind when deciding a bag and go for a laptop safe one, perhaps with extra padding to keep that tech safe! If you live in an area that rains a lot you may want to consider a waterproof backpack to keep your notes from going soggy! Be stylosh AND practical.

A pencil case

To keep your stationary safe and easily accessible!

In your pencil case you should have:

Black pens (Always have spares!)

Pen for marking (A different colour, i use red)

Pencils for diagrams

A rubber/eraser for when those diagrams go terribly wrong (mine always do!)

Highlighters for key words

Ruler

Glue stick

Folders

I would recommend having a folder for each class, so that all your notes and hand outs are in one place and do not get confused with other subjects, be organised!

Photo by Viktor Talashuk on Unsplash

Textbooks

Its going to be a tough couple of years of studying without these! Some colleges require you to buy your own textbooks, some give you them in your first week. Find out if you have to purchase your own or not in advance so that you don't turn up on your first day without one when everyone else has one!

Academic Diary

An academic diary an improve everything! Every day suddenly feels more relaxed and systematic when you use an academic diary! In your diary, you can write note all assignments you have and when they are due so you always get them in on time!

Headphones/earphones

Having a pair of headphones with me at all times helps me to rewind and relax between classes. During free periods, I like to listen to some of my favourite music to escape to my own world for a bit before returning to more learning. It can really help to have this mental relax to clear your mind ready for retaining more information. I also like to have some light classical music playing whilst I study, anyone else?)

laptop or iPad

With the new age of modern technology, most school require us to use online study platforms such as google classroom. It makes things more efficient and can make things simpler for a teacher rather than millions of handouts! Plus it doesn't run the risk of losing papers at the bottom of your backpack and getting in trouble for not ding your homework because you lost the handout! Laptops or iPad can also be handy for research or typing long essays. If you cant afford one, dont worry because schools almost always have computers available for you to work on.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Water bottle

Just one percent of dehydration can cause a decrease in concentration levels! That's a crazy thought! In order to keep your concentration on point and be learning and thinking to the best of your abilities, drink lots! Always carry water everywhere and know where you can refill!

Book for enjoyment reading

Like listening to music, reading is an escapism, a way of getting away from the world and destressing. I really believe reading to be so important for our minds. There is so much to learn from a book, from new words and language devices, to life morals that guide us through our own individuals journeys but that we learn through the words of others. Even for English students who are told which books to read, it is important we all read books we enjoy because no matter what we are reading, we are learning, so why not do that whilst reading books we enjoy!

I hope this list has offered you some guidance into knowing what to bring with you to school on your first day and for the rest of the year! Is there anything you think should be on this list that I haven't included? Please let me know in the comment section!