Things You Don't Realize You Need In College

I've had two pretty solid years of college under my belt. In those two years, I've purchased and tossed many things that I thought that I needed and scrambled to find things in a pinch because I hadn't realized their importance in my life. To save anybody else the trouble of running around like a mad woman, here's a few things that you might not think that you'd need, but actually come in handy. Some are more obvious than others, but there have definitely been times that I've been rushing around trying to find one of these things (or have had people come to me about it).

1. Stamps TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. You are going to want to have a few stamps lying around. There have been multiple times when I've needed to mail important things (like, you know, leases) and didn't have any stamps to do so. Just help yourself out and keep five or ten around. 

2. Gloves They don't have to be tech gloves, but gloves or mittens in general are so important if you live somewhere that it gets cold during the fall and winter. Don't be too proud for gloves or hats because you're going to get sick and it's going to be a miserable week for you. 

3. Sharpies I had roommates coming in and out requesting Sharpies, so I kept a few colors around for marking things and what not. You just never know when you're going to need a Sharpie!

4. Pocket tissues You will be the hero of the century if you whip these out for a friend. Or yourself, especially if you're sniffling up a storm during the winter or during allergy season in class. I like to keep these when I'm walking outside during the winter for on the go use. It's a lot nicer than shoving a handful of regular tissue into your pocket. 

5. Wallflowers This would be specifically if you lived in a dorm, where there are plenty of weird smells. Most places you can't have candles or wax burners, so Wallflowers will literally save the day. Stock up on these, I promise you they will be the best decision you have ever made in your life. 

6. Lint rollers I don't know about you, but my hair sheds like crazy and ends up all over my dark clothing and on my winter coats. To avoid walking around looking like Chewbaca, I highly recommend spending the couple of dollars it costs for a lint roller. Just do it.

7. Mini stapler My friend is going off to college this year and when I saw she didn't have a mini stapler on her incredible list (I might have to steal it from her for future reference), I literally sent my recommendation with a slew of exclamation points. Probably. I excessively use exclamation points, it's a problem. Anyways, mini staplers are going to save your life and your classmates lives when it's time to turn in papers. Half of the time, professors either don't have staplers or the stapler is dysfunctional and useless. Keep this little guy in your bag, it'll save you from folding the corners of your paper. 

8. Ziploc baggies I never had these when I dormed and it is by far my biggest regret. I could've portioned snacks for work, kept things fresh longer, and just generally avoided some messes sometimes. Keep a box of these around for those "just incase" moments.

9. Blister bandaids By the time you realize that you need this, it's too late. Your feet are probably already cut up and walking to the store or through a store to get them is going to be painful and horrible. Come prepared with one or two boxes of these, especially if you're breaking in brand new shoes or are walking a lot on campus in loafers or flats.

What is something that you didn't realize you needed until you got to college?