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After a few months away from the classroom, it’s natural to feel a little apprehensive about heading back to school. This uneasiness is particularly prevalent if you’re going to a new school or making a big life transition, like heading off to college. While stocking up on school supplies can’t nix all your nerves, feeling prepared will set you up for success all year long.
With over 13 billion views, #backtoschool TikTok is popping off. That’s why, to help you and your family get ready for the upcoming scholastic season, we spoke to some of our favorite digital creators and college alumni about their academic must-haves. From planners to notebooks to a portable fans, these are surprisingly timeless items you’ll use until the last day of school, and then some.
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1
An "emotional support water bottle" with three interchangeable lids
"This step should be crucial in your back-to-school routine — refreshing your water bottle and getting fun stickers/painting it,” said Tristan Watson, a 2018 Auburn University alumnus who hosts the Grits to Glam podcast with his college best friend Patricia Flach. “It's important that you get a water bottle with a straw because I've learned more times than I care to admit, that going for a sip of your water and having ice banging around your bottle disrupts the whole class and that just ain't it.”
Watson recommends this Iron Flask insulated water bottle for hot and cold drinks. It comes with three lids (a straw, a wide mouth and a pop-top for hot drinks) in 28 colors and six sizes.
Watson recommends this Iron Flask insulated water bottle for hot and cold drinks. It comes with three lids (a straw, a wide mouth and a pop-top for hot drinks) in 28 colors and six sizes.
2
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Lightweight reusable notebooks
"On my back-to-school wishlist, I would want a pack of Kokuyo Smart Ring 360 notebooks,” said Soybeanof the popular journaling TikTok account @studywithsoybean. “Not only do they come in cute colors, but these notebooks have a binder ring on the side that allows you to shift around papers as needed. They're reusable, too (all you have to do at the beginning of each school year is swap out the paper).”
These easy-carry smart ring notebooks are super slim and come in packs of three. The smart ring lets you swap out the paper, so you can do a mix of both line and graph — just make sure it's compatible with the notebook's 20 rings.
These easy-carry smart ring notebooks are super slim and come in packs of three. The smart ring lets you swap out the paper, so you can do a mix of both line and graph — just make sure it's compatible with the notebook's 20 rings.
3
A portable fan to keep you cool (and sweat free) when you're running between classes
"I'm constantly sweating no matter the location,” said Watson. “This item is 100% mandatory for any student whether you're off to college, back to high school, or even going out in the real world for your first internship. I mean who doesn't love a nice breeze? And you can walk into a room confidently knowing that you don't have backpack sweat stains and you're feeling fresh.”
To keep you cool, Watson recommends this Gaiatop mini portable fan. It comes in six colors and had a USB port for easy charging.
To keep you cool, Watson recommends this Gaiatop mini portable fan. It comes in six colors and had a USB port for easy charging.
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4
A stylish backpack that's surprisingly spacious
Watson is “a huge fan of backpacks, and anywhere I can just throw all the random things I collect throughout the day. But,” he added, “don't get a boring one. My tip for things like this is always have a fun backpack or bag that identifies with your personality and just so your friends can spot you easily. So be bold and pick a fun color!"
Watson suggests the Fjallraven Kanken classic backpack, calling it "the perfect bag to throw all of your things in." It has one big pocket to fit your notebooks, laptop or tablet and a smaller pocket in front for smaller items like Airpods, keys and lip balm. It comes in 39 colors.
Watson suggests the Fjallraven Kanken classic backpack, calling it "the perfect bag to throw all of your things in." It has one big pocket to fit your notebooks, laptop or tablet and a smaller pocket in front for smaller items like Airpods, keys and lip balm. It comes in 39 colors.
5
An emotional book to give you some solace
"I think ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ by Cheryl Strayed might be the best book to take back to college with you,” said Evans. “I used to find myself flipping through Dear Sugar entries to get answers to those big questions I started asking myself in college. I think it's one of the best books for a lonely read, making it perfect for introspection on every campus in the hands of every student looking for guidance on this new stage of life."
6
A keyboard and mouse setup that makes you almost excited to do homework
"Honestly, I'm not inspired to do any sort of work unless my desk setup is top tier. I'm obsessed with getting new keyboards to spice things up,” Watson explained. “This wireless keyboard is cute, comes in different colors, and is just aesthetically pleasing. The best part? The sound of the clicks when you're typing are just everything to me. It's for sure not for everyone, but i'm obsessed.”
Give your roommate a little ASMR as you finish that report with this retro-inspired wireless mini Keyboard and mouse combo. Both items are fully rechargeable, come in three colors and use a wireless 2.4 GHz connection to help you type on the go.
Give your roommate a little ASMR as you finish that report with this retro-inspired wireless mini Keyboard and mouse combo. Both items are fully rechargeable, come in three colors and use a wireless 2.4 GHz connection to help you type on the go.
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Before You Go
30 TikTok Products Every Busy College Student Needs
