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"Three Things No College Student Should Be Without"

May 2, 2007

It’s the first day of finals, and (just like last semester) I’m taking a break to write a new R-Journal. I’m amazed at how different this semester’s finals are from last semester’s. Instead of two-hour “in-class” exams for which you study, scribble feverishly, then promptly forget as you move on to the next one, I have three “take-home” finals. These are essay-style, open-book exams for which professors typically give a week to complete. And that’s in addition to two in-class finals. And an eight-page paper. These next couple days are going to be rough.

But enough about exams. There’s no need to dwell on the universal stress permeating campus—it will only make me feel worse. Since it’s almost the end of the semester, I suppose it’s time for me to reflect on what I’ve learned this year and offer words of wisdom to incoming students. In this spirit, I suggest three items that will improve your college life immensely, but that students often forget.

Item #1 – a sharp pair of scissors. If your relatives are anything like mine, any care package you receive will be bound with layer upon layer of heavy-duty packing tape. This well-intentioned and appreciated effort to secure the contents of the package makes it somewhat difficult to reach the treasures inside. Hence the scissors. I have to admit, I still don’t have a pair that are up to scratch, but I think about getting one every time I have to saw through the tape on packages. It’s on my list of things to get this summer. Don’t make my mistake—buy your scissors before you arrive!

Item #2 – a sturdy laundry basket. Not all of you will have the good fortune of having your room on the top floor when the laundry room is at the bottom, but even those of you denied the daily opportunity to climb four flights of stairs will appreciate this one. Laundry baskets allow you to carry your laundry and your detergent while leaving one hand free to open doors and push elevator buttons. What’s more, if you have a laundry basket you can fold your clothes straight out of the drier and save yourself ironing time. I’ve seen the way some people stuff their freshly-laundered clothes into portable hampers—that’s just begging for wrinkles. Finally, depending on the size basket you get, you can do large quantities of laundry. This isn’t such a big deal for me—I do my laundry weekly—but some people like to amass their dirty clothes and wash four loads at once. Whatever works. Either way, I strongly recommend a laundry basket. I got one for Christmas, and I bless it every time I use it.

Item #3 – a stapler and staples. It surprises me the number of people who forget this office essential. Professors really prefer multi-page papers to be held together with a staple as opposed to having the corner folded over. If you’re feeling charitable, buy a small stapler you can carry in your bag so that you can offer it to staple-less classmates. Don’t be caught with free-floating pages! Bring a stapler!

This list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope it reminds you of items you might otherwise forget, or might not consider in the first place. And now, back to studying—my first exam is in two hours. I will be busy this week, but feel free to contact me with questions about what to bring to college. I’m happy to offer suggestions.

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