Day-Saving Backpack Essentials
When packing up your backpack, it’s easy to remember the basics: notebook, pencils, textbooks, etc. But there are some essential items you won’t realize you need until the time comes when you need them.
So pack your bag with our list of day-saving items and head to class confident and prepared!
Ibuprofen
Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep last night or missed your morning cup of coffee. Whatever the cause, headaches can happen anytime and leave you wishing you were anywhere but sitting in class. Keep a mini container of your preferred pain reliever in your backpack so that when a headache does surprise you, you’re ready for it.
Mini Stapler
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten to staple my assignments beforehand or printed them on the way to class. Professors aren’t fond of sorting through stacks of loose paper. I used to be the one rushing in and asking “Does anyone have a stapler?” Now, I’m the one responding with “I have one!” Trust me, you’ll be a hero to more than one person if you keep a little stapler in your backpack.
Lotion & Chapstick
If you live in the Midwest, you know how essential these items are in the winter months. Dry, cracked hands and chapped lips are pretty common from November to March, so don’t go to class without hand lotion and your favorite chapstick (I never leave my room without a little tub of Vaseline).
Kleenex
Along with chapped lips and dry hands, the winter months also bring college students’ worst enemy: the cold. I’m not talking temperature (although it does get pretty chilly). I’m talking about sneezing, runny noses, watery eyes and itchy throats. It’s not called the “common” cold for nothing. Store a little pack of tissues in your backpack and you’ll thank me later.
Floss – Gum – Mints
You’ve just finished eating lunch and you’re rushing to class when you realize you’ve got a bit of food stuck in your teeth you just can’t get out. Don’t stress – grab the floss you stashed in your bag after reading this article and get it out before anybody even notices. And freshen your breath while you’re at it with a stick of gum or a couple of mints. Dental hygiene is important, folks!
Portable Battery Pack
Most of us have our phones and laptops with us throughout the day and they tend to die faster than we’d like. So when you’re sitting in class at 2% and all the outlets are out of reach, a little portable battery pack will certainly come in handy.
Snacks
You know how it goes: you’re almost done with your last class before lunchtime and the hunger starts to set in. And your stomach doesn’t hesitate to let you – and the rest of the class – know you’re ready to eat. Stash a granola bar, some nuts, fruit snacks, or whatever you like to snack on in your backpack so you can combat the rumbles coming from your abdomen. Some professors don’t allow eating in class, so make sure you grab a few bites in the hallway if that’s the case.