Besides the obvious: laptop, laptop case, pencils, notebooks, backpack…what else do you think I will need to stay as organized/prepared as possible?
Hm…personally I carry 1-2 pens and pencils in my bag, and as long as I have that I’m okay. Ideally I use my backpack to store materials for all my classes in that given day (though I’m taking four on TTh next semester so I may have to change that). I also have a 1-inch binder for each class, but that’s just my preference.
As a side note, it might help to wait to buy textbooks until you get to class (to see if it’s necessary), especially if they’re really expensive, but I’ve tried it both ways and found that I really dislike the stress of not having my book for the first week or so of classes. It’s up to you.
Hope all of this helps!
A mini stapler can come in handy - I’ve had professors who would deduct points from assignments if they were turned in without a staple (i.e. just bent at the corner, or used a paper clip, etc.)
Highlighters help; especially for studying/reviewing notes.
Depending on your major, flashcards can be of tremendous value.
Your school clicker.
Not sure if this matters, but I am majoring in psychology.
I am as well. Can’t think of anything additional that a psych major would need, at least at the moment.
A good day planner, and one of those 4-colored pens. Use one color for each of your classes so it’s obvious at a glance what needs to be done for what.
A good date book into which you can staple all syllabi, write down your assignments and keep track of appointments and phone numbers. I used one that ran the academic year until I entered the work force, I then returned to the academic year model when my kids entered school. I know many people keep this info on their phones, but there’s something to said for saving it visually and in hand.
Also, I used a separate spiral notebook for each class, rather than the 3 or 5 subject ones so I only had to bring the ones I needed any given day - I was a commuter student and took the subway into Manhattan for work each day either before or after school. I would staple a copy of the syllabus into each notebook as well.
Most schools sell planners specific to the institution. They have all of the holidays, etc. integrated into the calendar. Of course, paper calendars are pretty old school. Many people have switched to electronic calendars such as the one provided by gmail, which have the benefit of never getting lost and also allow you to set reminders so you are aware of upcoming deadlines. You can also move items easily to the next day if you didn’t finish everything on your list.
Little packs of Kleenex may be nice to keep in your backpack, particularly if you have allergies! Every student seems to have a reusable water bottle (put your name on it if you want to have it for more than a few days!). I agree with @preamble1776 about the mini stapler–students forget to staple their “hot off the printer” papers before coming to class, so if you pull out your mini stapler both your peers and your prof will thank you. Plus, post-it notes are extremely handy.
I use a calendar app. I don’t think a physical planner is necessary.
A scientific calculator is nice to have. You’ll probably loan it out at least five times since most people take math and/or some quantitative based course in college and the tests for these classes often require a calculator.
I have a knock off leatherman in my backpack. One of those things that comes in handy at random times. If you do get one, make sure it has a pair of scissors on it.
Thumb drive
I generally carry
- a notebook
- a folder
- a couple of pens
- a pencil and eraser
- a graphing calculator
- a USB drive
- my clicker
- my laptop or tablet depending on the class
- required texts depending on the class
Some stuff that’s useful to have in the dorm
- stapler
- tape
- scissors
- multicolored pens
- whiteboard and whiteboard markers
- copy paper
- lined paper
- printer (if the school printers are far away or expensive)
- scanner (same conditions as above)
- large computer monitor
Definitely a planner. Index cards if you like flash cards or an app like Quizlet that serves the same purpose. Stapler. Paper clips. Scissors. Flash drive. Post it notes. Highlighters if you find them helpful.
Remember that you’re not going to the outback. Your school bookstore will have anything you forget
^^Yup, @stradmom is right. Mine even has cleaning supplies!
@stradmom at about 5X the price of a normal store.
@whenhen Definitely. That’s why it’s good to stock up ahead of time
Exactly, @whenhen . We’ve already found the nearest Walgreens where D can pick up basics at a reasonable price. That doesn’t work if you’re in the middle of nowhere, of course. A lot of this is a matter of preference. D prefers hard copy planners, color-coded pens and highlighters, other kids prefer apps. D is planning on using those 5-star notebooks for her notes. I liked 3-ring binders and dividers. Whatever works for you, plus whatever profs require.
Never said it was cheap, just that it was there 
- A small portable book stand. Heck, bring a dozen of these and resell the rest, because peers will ask you where they can get one.
- Hand sanitizer. You'll get sick a lot less. All those desks and chairs are touched by many hands every day.
- A stand-alone alarm clock. Yes, you can just use your phone, but you don't have to remember to plug in the clock every night so the battery doesn't die while you sleep.
- Thumb drive. Comes in handy for all sorts of things. Format it regularly and virus/malware scan it regularly, because the price of its convenience is how great a vector it is for computer infections.
- An app that will record audio synchronized to the notes you take when taking notes electronically. I like Notability for MacOS and iOS, but there are other options.