Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media.
What’s a huge investment, can be super stressful, but can also be really fun and totally worthwhile? College, of course! Yeah, there will definitely be some moments of victory and some moments of eye-rolling chaos, but there are also some things you should have on hand to make things a lot less ugh and a lot more YAS! I was lucky enough to be able to receive some of these game-changer items in my BabbleBox College Shevival Box (how cute!!). Yep, you know things are serious when I use the word ‘game-changer.’ So before you leave for college, make sure you pack these items to have more of those ‘like a boss’ moments!
1. Lip balm.
You’ve probably seen me profess my undying love for lip balms in my college beauty essentials post, and I’ll admit, I’m basically bonkers for lip balm; I hoard that stuff like it’s my job and I have no regrets. But can you blame me? Lip balm keeps your lips super soft and super moisturized, and if you’re like me and hate that dry, tight feeling of your lips when they aren’t hydrated, you can definitely find a deep appreciation for taking care of them. So instead of constantly licking and picking at dry, chapped lips during class, keep some lip balm in your backpack. Palmer’s FlipBalm is my new favorite. The packaging reminds me of a cute, little, colorful egg and you just have to flip it open to unveil the smooth lip balm inside — you can literally do this with your thumb. You can apply this while you’re hurriedly walking to your 8a.m. class without missing a beat! It comes in Creamy Coconut, Ripe Mango, and (my favorite) Juicy Watermelon.
They’re made with natural ingredients like cocoa butter and raw Shea butter. My family is Caribbean so I grew up using products containing those ingredients and LET ME TELL YOU, they are fantastic for the skin, which is why I love seeing them used by many brands. This lip balm is extremely moisturizing, and the soft, supple feel lasts for a really long time.
2. A durable backpack.
Don’t put yourself through the agony of buying a no-good backpack that can barely hold three books and will break on you a month into the semester. College isn’t like elementary school where you felt like you needed to have the coolest or prettiest looking backpack in order to feel like a cool fourth grader. Honestly, no one cares if your bag is a monochromatic mass, or decked with colorful buttons and flowers. Invest in a backpack that’s strong and big enough to fit everything you need on a daily basis. I’ve been using the same one for the last two years, and I’ll be using it for a third year!
3. A cute camera.
Because it’s college, we all know you’re going to want to take pictures of everything: your freshly decorated dorm room; hangouts with your new college bff; homecoming festivities; the campus — you get what I mean. So do your phone storage a favor and don’t take a hundred pictures with it! You’ll need all that valuable storage space for downloading some awesome apps college students need. Get a good camera, like FUJIFILM’s Instax Mini 70. It’s an instant camera that lets you watch your beautiful pictures print right before your eyes in like 90 seconds (mine is in the color Canary Yellow).
The prints are about the size of a credit card and they’re so perfect for hanging around your dorm room — easy dorm decor literally at the touch of a button! I have been DYING to get an instant camera for a while now, especially since I’ve been getting more and more into photography. The camera itself is small and perfect for carrying in your backpack, because you never know what kind of action you can capture on campus (trust me, there’s always something photo-worthy!). And, yes, that down there is a selfie that I took using the cool selfie mode on this camera. How do I look??
I really hate buying things that are time-consuming to set up and use, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the only ‘setup’ I needed to do was place the film pack in the camera and start taking pictures — I was printing pics in a snap and maybe having a little too much fun.
4. A planner.
Between you and me (and anyone else who knows me), I’m a planner junkie. If planners were kale, I’d be the healthiest eating person in the world. But alas, they’re not kale, but they are great for planning ahead, jotting down assignments, and basically helping you get your crap together when you feel like your crap couldn’t possibly be more far apart (please excuse my lame attempts at being funny). Don’t underestimate how easy a good planner can make life. Instead of having multiple homework assignments strewn across different pieces of paper, your planner will be the one and only place for you to create those important reminders. There are so many cute ones to choose from, and some even offer daily bits of motivational quotes to keep that smile on your face.
5. Pens, pens, and more PENS.
What else are you going to use to fill up your planner??? I mean, I guess you could use pencils but they’re so boring; colorful pens are way more fun. I like to use colorful pens when I’m studying or annotating my notes because they make it easier for me to see what things I’ve added, like summary points. Pens from Zebra Pen are great for adding splashes of color to an otherwise monochromatic page of notes.
The Sarasa gel pen ink’s formula is really smooth and it dries really quickly, so you don’t have to worry about smudges, and we all know how cringe-worthy smudges can be! I’m seriously loving my Z-Grip Plus Ballpoint pens and the F-301 BCA pen, which writes in black! And to make things even more fun and colorful, the Zebra Pen H-301 Steel Highlighter is great for highlighting key points when studying, and other important information. You’ll be able to spot the most important points from a mile away (okay, maybe from your bed). You’ll probably never leave your dorm room without these ever again.
6. Dry shampoo.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you just simply didn’t have enough time to wash your hair, girl, I feel you. Your coursework, extracurriculars, social life, and even part-time job may keep you running on a tight schedule, but using dry shampoo is the easiest way for you to get fresh feeling hair without waking up extra, extra early to wash it. It has saved me so much time on those days when I just can’t, though it shouldn’t be used as a permanent substitute for washing your hair! Just give your hair a good spritz and you’ll be good to go!
7. Cleansing cloths.
So I have a confession to make: I’ve had (more than one of) those days when I was fast asleep one minute and then the next gaping in horror at the clock on my my desk because it’s 7:40a.m. and my first class starts at 8a.m. Aaaaaaand, of course, I hadn’t brushed my teeth, hadn’t showered, had no idea what I was going to wear, hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, need I go on? I may have skipped showering in the morning a few times to make it to class on time in this situation, and as someone who’s a fan of showering in the morning, I felt like I still wanted a way to stay fresh. Simply Sensitive Cleansing Cloths from Summer’s Eve® are probably the answer to all of my fresh feeling prayers. They’re lightly scented (available in Island Splash® and Sheer Floral®) and feel so nice and refreshing on my skin, and because they’re great for sensitive skin (which I have) I don’t need to worry about getting any rashes or weird reactions. But if you’re convinced that you’ll never wake up late for class and have to skip showering, you can still use these cloths when you’re on the go, like working out at the campus gym, because they’re small and fit conveniently anywhere.
8. Tupperware.
Even if you pack just one food storage container, I guarantee you will use it, especially if you plan to cook yourself some meals in college. You’ll need tupperware to store any leftovers, which is way better than leaving it in the pot or pan you cooked it in until you’re ready to eat it again! Likewise, if you find that you bought a little too much food from the dining hall, storing the extra inside of tupperware and keeping it in your fridge is also a great way to save food and meal points. And if your college dining halls follow buffet style dining, you might find yourself walking out with full containers of food on a regular basis. Btw, if you want to see what other things you should pack for college, check out my ultimate packing list.
9. A non-stick pan.
A girl’s gotta eat (those dining hall prices are through the roof!) so the GreenPan Mini Ceramic Non-stick Square Egg Pan is an absolute must! First of all, it’s so cute and small, so it definitely won’t take up much space at all in your dorm room (and we know how precious space is). It’s absolutely perfect for making a quick breakfast in the morning before class (especially since you won’t need much oil to cook in it, and you won’t be treating burns thanks to the stay-cool, non-stick grip), and I don’t know about you, but the interesting square shape of the pan really spoke to my creative side, so I used it to make Oreo pancakes for breakfast! They were fantastic and ready to eat in almost no time. Everyone else in your residence hall would be totally jealous of your breakfast! If you’re curious about my enviable recipe for Oreo pancakes, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to share it with you!
But I couldn’t stop there so I also followed the recipe in the mini recipe booklet that came with the pan in my BabbleBox to make French toast! I didn’t have any blueberries on hand, and I hate maple syrup so I just gave it a very generous dusting of powdered sugar. It was SO delicious, and very photogenic if I do say so myself.
And because I love ya and hope that you eat like a queen in college, don’t forget to use this Back To School Promotion Offer for 20% off your GreenPan and free shipping. The code is SCHOOL20 and it’s valid from 8/14-9/4. Enjoy!
So all that being said, I think it’s pretty fair to say that I’m even WAY more excited for the new semester to begin, so I can tackle it prepared!
What are some things you won’t leave for college without?
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