+15 Smart Must-Have Backpack Essentials
I hope you are ready to have an AMAZING college experience with these 15 must-have backpack essentials for the new year!
Here are 15 things you need in your backpack when entering the new semester. I hope you see a couple of things you could add and I hope these items are as useful to you as they are to me.
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself (or I have used myself) and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
This blog post is all about backpack essentials.
College Backpack Essentials:
1 Water Bottle
I found the BEST water bottle brand in the world! The Hydrojug is the only brand I have come across that just does NOT leak at all! I have honestly tried close to 30-40 bottles and I finally found the one:,). They are worth the investment and perfect to have on campus especially if yours has refillable stations. Get this backpack essential ASAP.
2 Lip Balm
Absolutely no one wants dry and peeled lips! I oftentimes forget to carry mine so now I always keep a spare one in my backpack. I recommend buying in bulk (like 3-4) so you don’t run out.
I am constantly changing which lip balm I use and for the past couple of months, I have been loving the Vaseline brand. You can get them by clicking the picture down below OR you can check to see if your local dollar store has them. Mine does and it makes me question why they are so overpriced at Target!
Another brand I have recently gotten into is Summer Fridays. Their lip balm is pricier, but so hydrating and is so smooth and long-lasting.
3 Taser or Pepper Spray
To some of you, this seems extra, but some of you would completely agree and probably have mace on your keychain haha.
This is something I have yet to use (thankfully 😅), but I got it as a Christmas gift one year and I am happy I have it. Long nights at the library meant I had to walk back to my dorm at late hours. And honestly, assault happens on campus more than it should. So, my motto is I’d rather be safe than sorry!
4 Stain Remover Stick
My friend let me borrow hers because I spilled something on my top. You don’t want to be walking around in a dirty outfit. Especially if you have somewhere important to go like an interview or meeting. It is very useful to have one with ya.
5 Earphones
We are transitioning into a world of wireless devices so I tend to carry my AirPods everywhere. However, I do love to have a regular pair of earphones with me just in case my AirPods aren’t charged so I can always listen to something or watch a lecture on my laptop no matter where I am.
6 Wallet (or just a little cash around $10-20)
A wallet is useful if you need to pay for anything like school books (which I NEVER recommend paying full price for books.), coffee, tea, or a meal.
7 Feminine Products
This is E-SSEN-TIAL! Even if you know when your time of the month is about to begin, you never want to be caught off guard. At least have one or two in your backpack. In one of my zippers, there’s another zipped pocket area which is where I keep them so they are not visible if I open my backpack.
8 Small Makeup Bag
To keep the essentials! Mascara, eyebrow pencil, and blotting sheets.
9 Gum or Breath Freshener
Sometimes we need a breath refresher and we are out and about. Maybe you ate a sandwich with onions and you are going to meet a professor during their office hours. I would rather not go into office hours smelling like the sandwich I just ate! Or, you just simply don’t want to go to class with bad breath. So gum is something I always have in my backpack.
10 Perfume
This one is very optional. I throw mine in my mini makeup bag so it doesn’t take up much space in my backpack. I would recommend going to Ulta or a perfume store that has a broad selection of rollerball perfumes. Or check out one of my favorites down below!
11 Hand Sanitizer
If you haven’t already carried one, all I can say is… 2020. Need I say more? It’s always a good idea to have some hand sani on the go!
Here’s a great hack! get a cute reusable holder like these below:
Then get one large sanitizer and re-fill the cute sanitizer holder whenever you run out:
12 Lotion (with SPF)
Fun fact, actually really sad fact, I have had eczema ever since I was in elementary school. So I always had lotion in my tiny little backpack just in case my skin got dry. Dry skin = scratching my arms like a maniac in class.
But even if you don’t have eczema, you should definitely be carrying a good moisturizer at all times. Using public bathrooms can leave your hands extremely dry so having your own mini lotion is very convenient. Check out these below!
13 Laptop
This one is pretty obvious. If I forget my computer I have to resort to using pen and paper. This means my notes are not as accurate and I am not focusing on what the professor is saying.
Taking notes on my laptop is so much easier and faster. Put it in your backpack before you go to sleep!
14 Notebook
It’s pretty rare that there’s a class in college where you are not allowed to take notes on a computer. I really don’t prefer writing notes until after class (which is when I re-write the notes I took on my laptop) but it is important to bring one just in case.
After the first week of classes, you should know if you need a notebook or not in each of your classes. A multi-subject notebook should work well.
15 Pencil Bag
Something cute and compact to store all of your writing tools 😊 .
16 Backpack
To hold all of your backpack essentials, of course, you need a backpack! I used a North Face backpack for the majority of my college time. This backpack is so cute, so durable, and can hold your laptop with ease.
I hope you got something useful from these 15 must-have backpack essentials for this upcoming school year. Were any of these recommendations helpful? Let me know what other items you keep in your backpack!
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