Your backpack—probably a bag with gum wrappers, old class handouts, and food receipts crumpled at the bottom. It is also a bag with some of your most important items in it too!
Yes, you will always have your books, laptop, keys, and phone in it, but there are some more items that would be beneficial to have in there too.
1. Phone charger- Junior communication student Amanda Drennan said, “I always have a phone charger and/or a portable power bank with me. I don’t want to be caught with a dead phone.” A phone charger, whether you have the whole charger itself, or a portable power bank as Drennan suggests, is a very important item to carry with you. Even if it isn’t so we can keep checking the likes on our latest Instagram photo, keeping your phone charged is super important. You never know who may be trying to reach you.
2. Breath Mints/Gum- Never get caught with bad breath! Always keep breath mints or gum on you, especially if you are a coffee drinker. We may not be able to live without it, but coffee often leads to bad breath. Also, if you’re an antsy student sucking on a breath mint or chewing gum may help you to focus in class.
3. A Snack- Always have a snack on your person. Try to opt for something healthy and something easy to pack in your bag. Dr. Merrily Ervin, Coordinator Of School Of Science General Education Courses and Professor of Nutrition, suggested trail mix: “I recommend that you make a big batch of trail mix. Then when you are ready to go out you can put a handful in a small plastic bag and toss it into your backpack.” She continues, “The trail mix can include nuts, dried fruit, seeds, wasabi peas, chocolate nibs or chocolate chips (cheaper than M&Ms). Season it with a little salt, cinnamon or cayenne, if you want.”
4. Headphones- It is always smart to have headphones because I don’t think any of us could live without music. Headphones are also important to have if you’re going to work in the library or any computer lab on campus. If you end up having to watch Youtube clips on the computer for a class you won’t disturb anyone by having the volume on.
5. Hair Accessories- Hair ties and small clips are always good to have. You never know when you want to switch up your hairstyle choice for the day. This goes for guys with longer hair too. Rock the man bun if you’re feeling it!
6. Nail File- This one lies near and dear to my heart. Male or female, when you break or split your nail and it snags on everything you’re wearing it is the most annoying thing to deal with. Then you end up trying to bite off the part of the nail that ripped and you look crazy because you keep biting your nail. Prevent this unfortunate event by always having a nail file or nail clipper in your backpack.
7. Hand Sanitizer- Prevent sickness as much as you can and keep hand sanitizer in your backpack. Hand sanitizer can also help if you touch something disgusting and you don’t have easy access to a bathroom sink. Keep your hands clean at all times.
8.Tide-To-Go- There is nothing worse than staining your shirt than having to walk around campus all day with the evidence sticking out. It is wise to have a Tide-To-Go stick on you just in case your food or drink get the best of you. This is especially true if you are a messy eater. Messy eaters—you know who you are—do yourself a favor and invest in a Tide-To-Go stick.
9. An Umbrella- The weather is so unpredictable, better to always be prepared and have a small umbrella in your backpack. No one wants to get his/her hair and outfit soaked in uncalled for rain on his/her way to class.
10. Journals- Ally Afanador, sophomore English student, suggested that you always keep at least one journal in your backpack. “I always have a few journals in my backpack. Being an English major means all that creativity has to go somewhere and I just so happen to generally have a journal on me at all times.” Journals are a great thing to have if you end up having a great idea for a project or for something you want to write creatively. It’s always good to have a pad of paper that isn’t a course notebook in your backpack for things like this.
Your backpack is your lifeline for so many unpredictable life situations. It is better to be over-prepared for these situations than to be thrown into them blind. Actor Christopher Walken said, “At its best, life is completely unpredictable.” So, let your backpack live to its full potential and keep some of these items in there for those unpredictable life moments.
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