College Essentials
You won't survive without bringing these things to college. People will start to get annoyed once you've been "borrowing" for a month..
Cell Phone
If, somehow, you've gone without having a cell phone at home, now is the time to get one. If your parents don't get you one, just ask them how the expect you to call home, or what you would do if there was an emergency... A cell phone is a very important purchase, as it usually is the primary way people reach you, and there are several factors that will influence what you ultimately buy, so we'll leave it up to you. Don't forget your charger!
Backpack / Book Bag
Avoid going to class via the cliche college modus operandi - waking up 5 minutes before it starts and stumbling in empty-handed. Some way of carrying your books is a must, especially when you have 2-3 per class, and you may want to bring to laptop too. Pick something comfortable and durable, that will be able to fit what you need to carry.
- Pick one out on your own... you can check out Amazon's bestselling backpacks
and messenger bags
School Supplies
Besides your textbooks and software there are some things from high school that you'll need in college. The number and amount of these that you need will depend heavily on how much you use your computer for taking notes, etc.
- Desk Organizer
- Pencils + Pens
- Notebook / Binder + Lined Paper
- Notebooks
- Stapler
- Calculator
- Portable Flash Drive (e.g. USB Thumb drive)
- Hi-lighter
- Scissors
- Tape / Glue
- Sticky Notes
- Paper Clips
- White-Out
- 3 Hole Punch
- Hole reinforcers
- Pencil Sharpener
- Colored Markers / Colored Pencils
- Envelopes + Stamps
Transportation
You'll have to get around some how... and how you accomplish that will vary with where you go... See what your school has to offer (best way to find out is to visit!) and plan ahead. A few popular ways of getting around:
- Walking
- Biking
- Public Transit (e.g. bus)
- Skateboarding
- Driving (bringing your own car is usually not recommended)