The Ultimate College Survival Kit: 7 Tools Your Freshman Needs

ONCE, the essentials students needed for their first year of college were limited to extra-long jersey bed sheets, shower shoes, spiral notebooks and a few packs of pens. Thanks to abundant tech, however, the university experience has changed.

In the age of Netflix and TikTok, a first year’s back-to-school shopping needs an upgrade if they are to stay focused, manage new experiences, keep track of their responsibilities and, most important, stay awake in class.

1. Work Wherever

A laptop sleeve is must-have protection for the most expensive item a student likely has. The leather Nillkin Laptop Sleeve will repel water and shield a computer from an accidental knock off the table. The true advantage? That it can convert into an ergonomic laptop stand, says Janane Vasudevan, a recent graduate of the Media Management program at the New School in New York. “My neck cramps lessened a lot after I started using this,” she said. $30, Nillkin.com

2. Basket Case

While few students arrive without bathrobes and shower shoes, many overlook how they’ll cart their soap, shampoo and toothbrushes to the perpetually damp shared facilities. Some try to solve this with a bulky plastic caddie, said Tufts University junior Henry Chandonnet, “but [those get] gross quickly.” Easier to clean and machine-washable, the Room Essentials Mesh Caddy ensures they’ll never bring whatever is growing in the shower back to their rooms. $6, Target.com

3. Sumptuous Slab

Students must shoulder the burden of finding time to sleep themselves, but you can set one up with a comfier bed than the standard foam mattress alone. The Sleepyhead Copper Mattress Topper, 3 inches of memory foam, supports and cools, and comes with a machine-washable fabric cover. From $379, SleepyheadUSA.com

4. Hardware Helper

In some colleges, you’re just as likely to find a Windows computer at the front of a classroom as an Apple one, which can create issues for users of either operating system. Lilia Martinez, a senior at the New School, says a USB Adapter, specifically the Anker 55 USB-C Hub, let her connect her Apple MacBook to any HDMI port she encountered. (It also lets you connect SD cards.) “It’s saved me when I [had] to present something in front of the class,” she said. $70, Anker.com

5. Everything In Its Right Place

For freshmen, keeping themselves organized can get tricky. For help, Martinez relies on Notion. The app’s templates, she said, make it easy to track class schedules, daily tasks, job applications and content calendars for her budding content-creator career. Free, Notion.so

6. Lose Nothing

Students are forever rushing to get out the door, especially freshmen who have naively signed up for 8 a.m. classes. In the mad dash, important things like keys, ID cards and laptops are easily left in the dorm. Adding an Apple AirTag to their lanyard will ensure they won’t call you at 2 a.m. asking for help paying a locksmith. 4-pack, $99, Apple.com

7. Skip the Pasta Station

HelloFresh is a weekly meal kit delivery service with an enticing option for students: microwavable “Heat and Eat Meals.” “You can subscribe for two to six meals per week,” Martinez said. “The food comes in a sealed tray, so it’s easier to carry everywhere.” Having a couple of these on-hand will ensure your student doesn’t blow his budget on takeout, or pick up a high-carb daily ramen-noodle habit. From $24 for first time users, HelloFresh.com

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