You're a college student just trying to make it through the week. Your laptop, backpack, notebooks, and phone are essential to getting through the day. But in order to be in tip-top mental and physical capacity, you need water. According to the Mayo Clinic, half a gallon of water a day is considered optimal for top performance.
So how will you show your bottle off? What kind of bottle represents you? Luckily, there's a guide to the bottles that will keep you going.
1. Hydroflask
You may have heard about them, or hear them when people knock them over at lectures. The "vacuum insulated stainless steel" bottles keep your drinks cool for 24 hours, (seriously though), and hot drinks can stay hot for 6 hours. However, every time you want a drink you gotta screw off the cap to enjoy your goodness. And they're a bit pricey, but indestructible. They come in some pretty colors and various sizes too. Popular, so you won't exactly be a trendsetter.
If you have one of these, you're probably an athlete. Athletes are known to have these as a sign to everyone else that they like being an athlete because they get free gear. These things sweat just as much as those athletes are training and can't hold temperature to save a life. It's pretty cool to have a squirting feature, I accidentally got a friend completely wet because I forgot I had water in it. Makes for fun tricks like how much water can you put in your mouth before it overflows? What's the longest stream you can do? Can you make writing on the ground? Can you try to keep these things from not molding in 6 months? Up to you.
3. Camelbak
These bottles are especially popular because of their price and especially pretty colors. They have a straw and mouth part that really is the definition of unsanitary, so don't think about sharing this water with any of your friends. The bottle won't leak, but your water inside will be super warm if its even a little bit of sunny outside. My least favorite feature is the little straw on the inside tends to pop off the cap. You usually have to fish it out while getting your hands wet...such a problem in the 21st century.
4. Polar Bottle
These water bottles are popular among people who decide to work out more for their New Year's Resolutions, and then usually stop going to the gym by Valentine's Day. They feel like they would be super insulated and keep your ice and water cold, but in reality it does a moderate job of everything. Kinda keeps water cold, kinda stays sealed, kinda sanitary, kinda big, kinda expensive. If you want to be moderately satisfied, get this water bottle.
5. Nalgene
Nalgene water bottles come in a ton of different sizes, so plan to go to the bathroom often especially if you get that blue one. They also are made in the USA, so if that really affects your decision, let me know. Cheap, so expect cheap quality. They hold a lot of water and don't leak. To balance that out, they are definitely not insulated and you have to screw off the cap to get a drink each time.
6. S'well
These water bottles are definitely for the hipster type. The wood ones are definitely pretty and they are super eco-sustainable-recycled-global-warming-killing for people into saving the planet. Once again, you gotta screw off the cap to get a drink. The bottles come in one size and they're not particularly big. I've also never seen a man drink from one of these water bottles unless it was their girlfriend's...but hey you do you.
If you're really into not saving the planet, having your water not be cold within 5 minutes, having to screw the cap off, getting a one-time use, and spending anywhere from $1-$4 depending on what random sports venue or 4th of July parade you're at, this is the bottle for you. Positives? You can do that cool trick where you make a little one-time cannon and nail somebody with the flying cap. Wow so cool.
Seriously people. Get any other bottle. For the amount of water (or any other drink) you will save money in the end by spending more at the start.
Until then, drink up!
