(maybe a little too detailed) tips on what to get/bring for college

mathmaticat:

• get a GOOD backpack. I don’t mean an aesthetically pleasing one, but a practical one that is fit for your needs. don’t make the mistake of choosing a backpack for style rather than comfort and practicality, like i did my first year.
• if you’re lugging notebooks and your laptop all day every day, ditch that pretty kanken backpack for a backpack with thick, adjustable straps, with padding at the back. 
• a backpack with lots of pockets and different storage is always nice for organizing your supplies, makeup, chargers, glasses, etc. 
• make sure to get one in a size that is appropriate for your stature. aka don’t use your dad’s big, bulky men’s backpack if you’re a tiny person like me.
• get a laptop that’s based on your needs. if you’re an engineering major, don’t be afraid to invest in a great laptop with great specs to be able to run those modeling softwares. Likewise with film / music / design / etc. majors. in my opinion, the cost is worth the headaches it’s going to save you from.
• my previous laptop was great for web browsing, watching youtube videos, coding, and typing up reports, but creating and rendering CADs was slow and a pain. it stole a lot of my time and sleep and made me want to chuck it at the wall.
• i would also strongly suggest laptops with great screen resolution (at least HD+ or FHD), especially if you’re going to be doing a lot of programming or a lot of work that involves staring at a screen for a considerable amount of the day. 
• it’s really great for your eyes. now i don’t have to squint every time i look at my computer screen. 1366×768 is a freakin joke and i will never go back
• processors and RAM depend entirely on what you typically use your laptop for. if you’re in it for the long haul, I would suggest getting one that has (at least) 8GB of RAM. 
• don’t forget portability.
• i know great laptops are very expensive (to me, expensive is like $800+), but in my opinion, they’re worth it if you use it every day for the next four or so years. 
• nevertheless, be sure to look out for special deals from the manufacturer or stores like Best Buy. (I got my new macbook about $225 off from Best Buy because they sold it for $100 less, and they also have special coupon codes for students).
• refurbished is also nice. i would avoid getting them from third-party vendors on amazon though. my experience has not been very nice with them.
• get a sleeve for that laptop.
• water heaters are great for when you’re sick and you just wanna chug hot tea all day. Be sure to sneak one in. Also ramen and mac and cheese.
• get a water bottle to carry with you around campus all day. hydration is imperative.
• a mini sewing kit. it turned out to be pretty useful for me. thx mom
• on that note, a quality coat / jacket. If you’re gonna be wearing it everyday, it better be quality enough that the pockets don’t rip off after the slightest tug. 
• SUNSCREEN. PROTECT YOUR SKIN.
• a humble attitude
• people can smell your insecurity from miles away if you’re bragging about your high school gpa or sat scores. basically don’t try to low key show off how smart you are. the really smart ones, the special ones are the people who let their achievements and actions speak for themselves.
• you’re not gonna be smarter than most if not all of the room anymore and that is a wonderful thing.
• a desire to try new things. you’re going to be in a new environment that provides a lot of different opportunities to get involved with different fields and with your community. i strongly suggest you take advantage of that while you can.
• from personal experience, after getting involved in an engineering club i developed a passion for space exploration and decided that was the field i’m going in instead of academia. i also found out i love singing, and enjoy swing dancing.
• self control/discipline. especially when your school provides free access to HBO GO 😥
• unfortunately, can’t give tips on this because it’s still a thing i’m struggling with.