Are you joining the college for the first time or you are just reporting back for a new
semester? You might find this so exciting that you forget a few things you’ll need in
class. This is expected because you’ll mostly be thinking about your life in the college
apartment or dorm room forgetting that you’ll also have to attend classes.
To make it easier for you, here is a checklist of all college essentials for a class.
Rucksack/Messenger bag/Backpack
You’ll definitely need something to carry your laptop and textbooks to and from the
dorm room. There are a variety of options when it comes to carrying bags. We have
laptop bags, rucksacks, messenger bags, and standard backpacks.
These bags vary in design, color, and size so that you can choose one that suits your
needs. Ensure you buy a high-quality bag that can serve you throughout your college
life.
Page markers
Page markers are college essentials in class that come in handy during your study time. You can use them to mark
pages with important points to make your revision easier. Adhesive markers are
great for this purpose since they stick on the pages. They also come in different
colors for ease of reference.
A Calculator
Even if your major course isn’t science or math-based, the general education courses
require that you take a science or math course, especially in your first year. A
calculator is a college essentials for class that you must have. The course you
major in will determine the type of calculator you need.
In many cases, an ordinary scientific calculator will suffice, unless you take advanced
science and math courses, in which case you’ll need a graphing calculator. Before
you buy a calculator, find out which type you’ll need for your course.
Notebooks/Folders/Binders
You may overlook these items only to get stranded when in class. Imagine being in a
class without a notebook. Even if you had a laptop or a tablet, you can’t type as fast
as you could write as the lecture goes on. And once you are done taking notes, you
have to bind them then keep them in folders for future reference. A folder is a college essentials for class to ensure you are organized.
Highlighters
A serious college student must have some highlighters. Highlighters will help you
make the sections of your notes or textbooks that you consider essential.
These highlighters come in different colors so you can use different colors to
highlight various points depending on how important they are to you. The
highlighted points can help you a lot when you want to revise for your exams.
Flash drive
The internet came with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage
platforms that might make you think you don’t need a flash drive. Remember that
these platforms require an internet connection for you to access your files. What if
you need to work on some files and you have no internet access? That’s where a
flash drive comes in.
A flash drive can help you maintain physical custody of your files so you can work on
them even if you don’t have an internet connection. You can also use it to borrow
files (lecture notes) from your friends, and as temporary storage for files before you
transfer them to the cloud.
Index cards
Index cards are essential when you are studying a subject with points that need to be
memorized. You can write some content on them to help you retain information.
Just like flashcards, index cards are easy to use on the go. Use the index cards to
write whatever content you want to memorize or learn.
Hole punch
A hole punch is yet another college essentials for class that works hand in hand with files. You can use them to keep your notes
organized. When you’ve prepared some notes, or you’ve received some course
materials from your professor, you can punch them then keep in the files. It would
help if you had a small hole punch that can fit comfortably in your bag so you can use
it any time even in class.
Pens/pencils
It is these small things that students tend to forget. You can buy all the class
accessories and forget that you need pens and pencils. Imagine how embarrassing it
can be when your classes are just about to begin then you realize you don’t have a
pen.
So as you plan to go back to college, ensure you buy enough pens and pencils. You
can buy pens in different colors – blue, black, and red will suffice. For pencils, it will
depend on the course you are taking. If your course involves technical drawing, you’ll
need a variety of pencils. This is a big player in college essentials for class especially in organization.
Student planner
A student planner will help you get more organized. From extracurricular activities to
group meetings and from test dates to seminar dates, a student planner will ensure
you are on top of things. Ensure you have all details in your student plans to take you
through your college calendar.
A laptop
Today, most colleges require all students to have laptops. A laptop is an important
college essentials learning tool for class that you can’t afford to ignore, even if your college has a well-equipped
computer lab. A laptop will carry all your notes, videos, etc.
You can also use it to learn online if your classroom has Wi-Fi. Some professors also
like to upload their learning materials online. You’ll have to use your laptop to
download the materials and use them.
A stapler/Paper clips
A stapler comes in handy when you’ve just received some loose study materials that
need to be bound together. Just have a small stapler in your bag that you can quickly
grab and use to staple the loose pages before you punch holes and file them.
If you aren’t a fan of staplers, then you can have some paper clips. They also work
just like staplers, though they may themselves become loose and fall off.
Scissors/tape/drawing tools
If you are taking a course that needs drawing tools, don’t forget to buy them. You
may need scissors, tape, T-square, and a complete drawing set. It’s better to have
your own items rather than borrowing from your friends.
Conclusion
Going to college is quite exciting, but you can make it more thrilling if you have all
that you need. The list above contains college essentials for a class you’ll need to enhance your
studies. Make sure you buy them early enough rather than waiting for the last
minute. They may run out of stock. Lastly, make sure you buy high-quality materials
that can serve you throughout your course.
