School Supplies You Actually Need for College

i remember being in high school and loving buying school supplies but once i got to college, i realized i was spending an unnecessary amount of money on unnecessary supplies.

here is my list of stuff you actually need to college & basically this is a what’s in my backpack haha.

you can easily customize this to yourself, major, lifestyle, and have you study but this is the stuff that is the bare minimum to get you through!

🩵 Devices

Computer > iPad

if you can only get one, get a macbook air. it is perfect for the demands of schoolwork (unless you are running crazy software then maybe get the pro). i have the macbook air m2 & it’s perfect, its runs what i need it to and has not cause me any issues.

i have both a macbook and an ipad but you don’t need both. if you can get both, get both, it will make your life a bit easier especially if you take digital notes. if you take handwritten then you really only need a computer. but if you’re stuck between, do i get a macbook or an ipad, get the macbook. ipad have limits on what they can do & macs can run literally everything you need without issue.

🩵 Supplies

🔆 Pens

- i only carry red, black, and blue but if you’re into handwritten notes or planning, get whatever colors you want. but since i do digital notes, i really only need those three pens.

🔆 Pencils

- i carry at most 5 pencils with me in my backpack. i don’t need a huge amount of them because i do digital notes but a lot of my classes, we do write on paper during class. my accounting classes, we do things in class with handouts so i need a few pencils to get me by.

🔆 Mini Stapler

- you may think you don’t need it but there are times you do & it comes in handy.

🔆 Notebook(s)

- even though i do everything digitally, i still carry a notebook just in case i need it. if you do handwritten notes on paper, then i would get more than one.

🔆 Folder

- you don’t need to get a ton of folders, just get a folder that has a ton of pockets in it & you will be fine. it keeps everything you need for all of your classes together. it’s not organized & takes up less space.

🔆 External Hard Drive

- You only need one of these with good storage. i like to keep all of the past syllabuses, past notes, assignments, etc for each of my classes. i have folders from each semester that i keep on a hard drive for use in the future. whether it’s for someone who will be taking the class or for my own keeping, an external hard drive is a must to keep space on your devices.

🩵 Random

🔆 Calculator

- I use a ti-84 but i also got it for free through my high school. you will want a calculator especially if you’re in a math or science field. but you will want one for your freshman year if you have to take a gen ed math course. if you are in a business major, you’ll want one too for accounting/math classes.

🔆 Headphones

- this goes without saying that you need a pair of noise canceling headphones. whether it’s your roommate watching a movie super loud, people are in your room, you are in the library, or you just like to listen to music, these are a must.

🔆 Backpack

- invest in a good one that you can use all four years of college and after that as well. go read my pros & cons of the north face jester backpack before you get one because you may ditch it like i did. good backpacks can be expensive so find one you like or opt for a cheaper good quality one off amazon. i’m currently using the lululemon new crew backpack & i love it for what i need it for.

🔆 Reusable Water Bottle

- a reusable water bottle will be your best friend but i wouldn’t recommend anything too bulky like a 40oz stanley. something smaller like the 20oz stanley or an owala will do the trick. having something that will leak or be super heavy isn’t the best plus you can always refill your cup

🔆 Blue Light Glasses

- if you’re staring at a screen for hours, i def recommend these. i have blue light in my prescription glasses. i did a research paper on screen time & mental health, blue light not only hurts your eyes but affects so much more of your body that in turn can affect your mental health. it’s really interesting.

🩵 Honorable Mentions

🔆 Highlighters

🔆 Note Cards

🔆 Post It Notes

🔆 Planner (if you need to write things down)

🔆 Gum or Mints

🔆 Hand Sanitizer

🔆 White Out

Let me know what your school supplies essentials are :)

#collegeessentials #collegedairies #college #schoolsupplies #collegestudent #collegecontentcreator #Lemon8Diary #lemon8creator #universitystudent #universitytips