Although the excitement of the first school days you experienced as a child has likely faded, even after crossing the imaginary threshold of adulthood, many of us return to school desks in September—or more accurately, to lecture halls and auditoriums.
For most students, university means being constantly on the move and having a part of your life permanently packed in a backpack or other luggage. So, how can you make the commute from home to your dorm or student apartment, as well as student life itself, easier? The following tips might come in handy.
Choose the right luggage
Whether you travel with a suitcase, duffel bag, or large backpack depends primarily on your preferences, but you should also consider what you are carrying. If you don't want to ruin the hours of work your mother put into carefully ironing all your shirts, it is better to neatly pack them into a suitcase. If it is also equipped with wheels, it can also significantly reduce your effort. It must also be admitted that a suitcase is arguably the most stylish of all the options. On the other hand, it can be more of a nuisance in a crowded train carriage or bus.
Travel bags are mainly suitable for athletes who do not care much about aesthetics and are satisfied with a pair of sneakers and a few pieces of clothing. The advantage is their versatility—you can easily use them for training or the gym as well. Their main handicaps are the one-sided strain they place on your spine and their inability to hold a fixed shape.
If you travel from home equipped with gifts from the family kitchen, a large backpack or hiking backpack will likely prove most useful. When you skillfully pack food containers and jars into the backpack and cushion them with the soft part of your load, you minimize the risk of tipping or spilling. And because a backpack full of food can get quite heavy, you will certainly appreciate the option of distributing the weight onto both shoulders, or even onto your hips using a waist strap.
A laptop treated with care
When choosing luggage, don't forget a necessary laptop compartment, without which most students would be lost. Alternatively, you can provide your portable computer with a separate sleeve or even treat it to a dedicated laptop bag, which can also serve as a handbag or a bag for various small items you need to have at hand.
A practical solution is to get a student backpack with a laptop compartment, which you can also use when commuting to lectures. You can take it with you home (if you are traveling with a bag or suitcase) or leave it in the dorm (if your back is already occupied by a hiking backpack). When packing, also make sure you have all the necessary chargers and other technical essentials.
Save money and your health by preparing snacks
Although student life is very hectic and often tempts you to visit fast food joints and buffets, if you don't want to spend a fortune on food, you'd better find a moment for a proper grocery shop. Head out to hunt in the supermarket jungle equipped with your own foldable shopping bag, and if you are a true gourmet and want to enjoy your homemade snacks in style, get them a separate lunch bag. Food brought from home is not only cheaper but also prepared to your taste, so you won't have to cringe at the thought of what a sandwich bought at a buffet for a couple of coins might contain.
Tip!: Always add a handful of nuts or seeds to your snack. Thanks to healthy fats, they will keep you full and support brain activity. Don't forget fresh fruit and vegetables either.
Hydration is also important. Every person should drink about 40 ml of fluids per kilogram of body weight. Unsweetened drinks are most suitable—so alternate still water with herbal and fruit teas, occasionally interspersed with mineral water. You can also solve hydration smartly and consciously—by buying a quality bottle, you save money, your health, and the environment. It is easy to fill and clean, and thanks to its high durability, it will last you a really long time. In colder weather, a thermos will also come in handy, keeping your tea or coffee warm for several hours.
Practical tips in conclusion
At the start of the semester, don't forget to arrange all necessary confirmations, ID cards, and transport discounts. To tame the chaos among so many cards and get a better overview, get a handy document holder.
Those of you who still occasionally use writing utensils in this "technical age" will certainly appreciate a practical pencil case, which definitely doesn't have to look like the one you remember from primary school. There are universal and elegant pieces available that have versatile uses.
And if you are a light sleeper, you will also find a sleep mask and earplugs useful in your dorm or student apartment. It might seem excessive, but I believe that during the very first student party held before an important exam, or upon discovering that your roommate snores unbearably, you will consider this idea absolutely brilliant.
We wish all university students not only many wild parties but also academic success!
Source of the introductory photo: pexels.com
