4 Things You Can’t Leave Without

So now you’re all set, accepted and ready to go. But before you leave, you will need 4 things to make sure that you’re a) happy b) connected c) successful

A Laptop

Now the laptop is the heart and soul of your experience. Most students have been accustomed to using their parents computers, so this new gadget will let you organize all of your own items; from music, to pictures and documents. It’s important to figure out what you need a computer for before buying one. Arts majors will need a basic laptop to be able to read and write documents and a good word processor (I recommend Microsoft Word). If your going into a science program you may need a few more items, but a basic laptop will do. Websites like Instacalc let you do more with less and you can even publish your results online. For anyone reading this who is planning on going into graphic design, I wish you luck. Most graphic design students require 2 laptops, a PC and a Mac, to be able to fulfill the schools requirements. All that being said, when considering laptops remember this;

1. Toshiba
2. HP/Compaq
3. Samsung
4. Lenovo
5. Acer
6. Dell
7. Sony

That’s my personal rating of computers, Apple isn’t on there because it would require a totally different rating system. To clarify, this list is pretty much (price) vs. [what-you-get-out-of-it] so don’t take it personally if you bought a Sony

A Network

They say that school is the time when you make friends that will last your whole life, and although this sounds like something out of a hallmark card, it’s true. In todays day and age of technology, it has become easier than ever to stay connected. Facebook remains a staple of college life, but new gadgets let you stay in touch with your peers in innovative ways. One of these ways is through Twitter. Think of twitter as a way of sending messages of what your doing and then having them appear on the internet. People can follow you on twitter to see what you’re up to at all times so that cute girl in your anthro class knows exactly when to accidentally bump into you at the gym.

Killer Threads

Everyone has clothes, but one thing that you have to learn when you go off to school is what to wear. When going to class, you’re not trying to make a fashion statement, so leave the popped collars at home. You’re looking for comfort, so whether it’s sweatpants or shorts, make sure that you’re in something that you don’t mind sitting in for a long period of time during lectures. Laundry also comes into play, wearing 7 shorts a week means you’ll have to wash all of them on Sunday. Stick to 1 pair of shorts and 3 shirts a week, that way you may even save money by just hand-washing all of them. Weekends call for jeans and a fancy shirt, depending on where you’re going. Grab a black and blue pair of jeans and alternate them through the weekend, it should last you your whole school year. Picking a shirt for going out in can be difficult, depending on where you’re going. The best bet is to browse some websites and check out funky threads with some unique art on them. Their easy to maintain and help you stand out.

• Linty Fresh
• Color Overload
• Uneetee
• Springleap
• Threadless
• Squid Fire
• Also, any mall is a good source of this sort of fashion, specifically stores like H&M

A Plan

Alright, so we’ve covered all the things you need to buy, now its time for you to smooth out the details. Fact: You’re at school, Fact: You have to cope, Fact: You have to figure things out for yourself. University is when you get your life in check, you have to learn and then apply your knowledge. If you have a dream job that you want when you finish school you have to dedicate your summers and free time to getting that job. Do an internship, get in contact, do volunteer work. You have to always be working, but if your working at something that you love, then it’s not really work is it?

Until next time, keep it spazztic.