The Essentials

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


Ah, college.
It's the best of times, it's the worst of times...but mostly the worst of times. I kid of course, but honestly, I have those moments (more often than not) where I find myself in a less-than-ideal situation. For example, just this afternoon I got trapped in the rain, locked out of my apartment and a nasty blister (probably from the wet shoes). Oh, and all this happened after my iPhone battery died. I probably shouldn't blame this on college, but I want to blame it on something, so college it is.
What's the point of all this rambling? College--nay, life in general--brings some unfortunate and unavoidable situations. Though they're bound to happen to us all, there's good news: you can (and must) plan ahead. So now, I present the things I always wish I had but still can never remember to actually bring. Do as I say, friends, not as I do and you will go far in life.

Random things you won't think you really need until you do:



-Headphones...because walking around campus without music is the worst.

-Planner...do yourself a favor and teach yourself how to use a planner. You will not remember everything you have to do tomorrow, I promise.

-Earrings...you'll lose more pairs of earrings than you ever thought possible. Where do they go? Don't ask.

-Advil...self-explanatory. Buy a lot of it.

-Hairbrush...you won't think you need it until you step off the bus into 90% humidity and you're hair goes crazy.

-Umbrella...life is not a Rhianna song. No one will let you stand under their umbrella-ella-ella. So bring your own.

-Earplugs...maybe I'm just scared for life because I had a roommate that snored like a congested old man, but they really do come in handy.

-iPhone Charger...there will be a time when you're phone is dying and it will be the time when you need your phone the most. Don't chance it.

-Tic Tacs...for the time when you forgot to brush you're teeth before that 8 a.m. class. Don't pretend like it hasn't happened to you.

-Compact Mirror...typically I live by the "ignorance is bliss" rule, but there could be a time when you need to spy on someone behind you.

-Hair Ties...revert back to the 90% humidity thing. The same situation applies here.

-Pencils...yes pencils, not pens. Pens can't go through the Scantron machine and then you'll fail the test, then the class and you're whole life will be ruined.

-Flash Drive...save everything. Even things you think you'll never need again. You never know what you've got till it's gone.

-Lip Balm...chapped lips are gross. That's all.

-Hand Sanitizer...because buses are dirty, other people are dirty, desks are dirty, the whole world is just dirty.

-Band-Aids...think of how many band-aids you think you'll need and then triple it. That's about half of what you'll actually need. Stock up, becuase nothing can ruin your day like a blister can.

Last but not least are my probably my favorite find of this back-to-school season: Brita® Waterbottles. Seriously these things are genius. Lots of Brita® products are great (the faucet filter is literally a life-saver) but this one is perfect for saving you from those nasty on campus water fountains. All you have to do is fill it up and the built in filter gets rid of all the bad stuff. No more nasty water that tastes like metal! It's always way more environmentally friendly, since you won't be wasting all those plastic water bottles. They're available at Target (a.k.a. everyone's favorite store) and come in in lots of different colors and patterns, so by all means, go check it out.

 

What are your back to school essentials?