10 Things Every College Student Needs

As we approach August and people gear up to go back to school, it is time to think of what essentials students need at school. As a fresh college graduate reflecting on what got me through, I’ve realized there were a number things most colleges don’t tell you about. I’ve complied a list of items that were essential for me and I’d imagine apply to most college students.

A Laptop

Here is the big ticket item. I’ve written before on why colleges students should buy a laptop over a desktop; portability around campus, coming home, etc. It’s really about the freedom to take your laptop with you. Going away to college gives you a lot of freedoms, and the ability to work where you want should be one of them. The laptop I linked is one I recommended to my friend and my brother. If you do not like HPs, I’d at least recommend these specs: dual core processor, 80+GB Hard drive, at least 1.5GB RAM.

An Mp3 Player

On the topic of portability, one thing that I took everywhere with me is my mp3 player. I do not own an iPod for personal reasons (I don’t like them, I think they die to easily and I’m not a fan of iTunes), but I’ve linked one here in the title, and my personal one, a Creative Zen Vision:M. Either way, every college student needs one for use while studying, at the gym, or for some quite time in the dorm room.

A Good Set of Headphones

One thing I used (and still use) a lot are my big, over-ear headphones that drown out all ambient noise. Fact of the matter is if you’re going to use an mp3 player while studying, you’ll need headphones like these. Even studying in the crowded office where I worked, I was able to concentrate better with these headphones. Though admittedly if you will be using an mp3 player for the gym, these might be better. I have both sets, and use them both a good amount.

A Digital Camera

This is something I lacked my freshman year, and regretted it a lot. You will want a small point and shoot digital camera to take pictures when you are out with friends, or even of just random stuff on campus. This is another thing no college student can live without (or at least no college student with a social life).

A USB Flash Drive

Very important, especially if you will be working at multiple computers (and most students do). This will allow you to take your important papers, spreadsheets and presentations with you where ever you go.

An External Hard Drive

You wouldn’t believe how many people I know came to me saying things like “Joey, my computer crashed. How do I get my stuff back?” My usual response was, “It looks like you’ve lost everything.” That’s why I can’t stress enough the importance of backing up your information. A big enough external will allow you to back up all of your documents and any other non-recoverable information. I learned finally after my second hard drive crash.

A Good Planner

This is one they usually tell you about when going to school, but it’s still important to find a good one- one that works for you. It took me about 2 years to actually find a good one. I’ll always recommend a PDA because I’m a computer nerd, but as long as you find one that helps you stay organized, you’ll be in good shape.

A Cell Phone

Probably an unnecessary item to list, but essential none the less. A cell phone is a complete necessity for any college student, especially because now campuses (like the University of Scranton) are doing away with land lines in dorm rooms.

A File Cabinet or Box

Going back to staying organized, something that will help you keep track of the multitudes of papers, forms, etc. is important, especially because you don’t know which forms and papers will come in handy down the line.

A Few Good Movies

My Freshman year, we watched just about a movie a week. Good for when you don’t feel like going out, or just putting one on in the background, it’s always good to have a few movies around. And not just classics. Go for movies people probably have never heard of. My Freshman year I was introduced to Donnie Darko, Boondock Saints and Poolhall Junkies.

Phew! I know it’s quite an expensive list, but these are all things you will want while at college, even if you don’t realize it at first. The surprises for me were the Flash Drive, the Digital Camera and the file box. But once I got them, I used (and still use) them over and over again. Are there any essentials I am missing? Or maybe something you feel shouldn’t be on here?