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9 Important School Supplies for Your First Day

An older, male college student has his school supplies laid out for class.
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Going back to school as an adult is a big step. You want to make sure that you are doing all that you can to be successful. Part of being successful is making sure that you have all the proper school supplies. This helps you to walk into the first day feeling prepared and confident that you can rock your back-to-school experience. Here are some important school supplies that you will need.

Your Required Textbooks Are Necessary School Supplies 

Before your courses are scheduled to begin, your professors will send you a list of the textbooks for class. Taking the time to purchase these textbooks beforehand will help you to feel more prepared on the first day because you can dive right into the reading, quizzes, study guides, etc., that the textbooks provide for you.  

A Detailed Planner  

Another important tool to have on hand is a detailed planner. You want to have this on the first day of school because you can write everything down in it that you need to remember. This can include your schedule for the first day of school, any information you receive during class that you need to remember, other obligations outside of school that you need to keep in mind, etc.  This planner can be a physical planner, or you can use a planner app on your phone or tablet.  

A Laptop Computer  

One of the most important school supplies to bring with you when you go back to school as an adult is a laptop computer. When you originally went to school, a computer likely was not a necessity, but they definitely are now. You will find almost all the information that you need for your classes online. Thus, you not only need a computer but also access to the internet. Having a computer that is a laptop is also crucial because you can easily take it from class to class with you and use it to look at the PowerPoint presentations, log onto the college website, view your coursework, take notes, etc.  

A Flash Drive 

An important item to purchase along with your laptop computer is a flash drive. This is so important because it gives you a portable device to save all of your computer work on. You can move this device from one computer to the next, and you will still be able to work on whatever it is that you need to. This is important because you will likely be using computers in the classroom, library computers, your home computer, and your personal laptop. The flash drive is also very small, so taking it around with you will be very easy. 

Notebooks 

If you are someone that prefers to take notes and do your writing by hand, then you need to get some notebooks for your classes. Having a different notebook for each class can help you to keep things more organized. A good way to keep your notebooks sorted is to purchase notebooks that are different colors and write what class they are for in permanent marker on the cover. This will make it easy for you to switch your notebooks from class to class and help you to be successful as a new student.  

Writing Utensils 

You will want to have a variety of writing utensils on hand to make sure that you have what you need for each class. Pens are great school supplies when it comes to taking notes and writing in journals or planners. Pencils are also good when doing creative writing because you may want to erase them more often. Highlighters are great to have on hand when it comes to highlighting passages in your textbooks or other reading materials. Purchasing a pencil pouch to keep these in is also helpful because it will make them easier to find and help to keep them organized.  

A Library Card  

Most colleges give you access to an excellent library, but in order to use all of their great resources, you will need to get your own personal library card. You can go to the library before you begin school to get your library card. This gives you one less thing to worry about on the first day of school. It also makes it possible for you to get right into the library and get what you need. You can also use the library for internet access, studying, homework, etc. 

A Backpack to Hold the Other School Supplies 

A male college student storing his school supplies in his backpack for class.

Shot of a college student between classes on campus grounds.

In order to hold all of your items successfully, you want to get a high-quality backpack. Purchasing a backpack that has a pocket for your laptop is a good idea because this will help to keep it protected. You may also want to make sure that your backpack has multiple sections in it. Thus, you can better sort your notebooks, planner, pencil bags, etc. Having small pockets can also be helpful for holding a water bottle, phone, etc.  

Healthy Snacks 

In order to make sure that you have the energy and brainpower that you need to focus during school and get the most out of your lectures, you should have some healthy snacks on hand. Purchasing these snacks beforehand makes it possible for you to choose healthy options rather than purchasing snacks from vending machines or fast food. These snacks can include things like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole wheat cracks, string cheese, Greek yogurt, and more. You also want to make sure that you have plenty of water to drink throughout the day. Indeed, purchasing a refillable water bottle is an excellent choice.  

Find All Your School Supplies 

Going back to school as an adult is an excellent idea and one that can prove to be very rewarding. To learn about more school supplies that you need when going back to school as an adult, or to learn more great information about going back to school in general, visit us today at Southern Careers Institute.  

This article was published on: 04/6/22 2:04 PM

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

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