New college students want to know what purchases will bring them happiness and certain “less flashy” items commonly get overlooked. Here’s a short list of things that every student should spend dollars on to instantly increase their quality of life.
A Good Laptop
We live in the age of technology and to have a poor performing laptop is going against the grain. A low quality laptop can put your academics at risk with connection, performance or battery issues and even crashing. Your ability to network may suffer and how in the world are you suppose to keep up with your favorite Netflix shows? When shopping for a good laptop midrange should be sufficient ($500-$1,200) and nothing less. If you’re a gamer or doing any form of graphic design it will be worth it to spend a bit more. Just make sure you take care of it!
Quality Food
It seems like a no brainer and might not technically count as a ‘belonging’, but I felt that quality food deserved a spot on my list. Too many college students suffer from fatigue, grumpiness, anger and sadness all because of basic things they’re lacking like drinking water, getting a good night sleep, exercise and eating healthy food. Most students have a little wiggle room when it comes to spending money on food and all too often it’s put into fast food, pot or beer. Spending some extra dollars on things like fruit, vegetables, salads, burgers or chicken might be enough to turn that frown upside down!
Excellent Mattress (and Bedding)
This is my favorite and arguably one of the most overlooked possessions worth spending money on for college students. Sleep affects everything! It doesn’t matter if you’re the head of the philosophy club or the football team captain, without a good nights rest you’re not going to be performing at your best. Dorms often provide a mattress that is complete junk! This leaves you restless with back pains and is horrible to snuggle on! Do yourself and your partner a favor by getting a low to midrange memory foam ($300 for full). You will have it for all four years at college and trust me, you’ll never look back.
Cheap Fan or Heater
This is completely relative too the dorms you’re staying in, but if they’re anything like mine then it’ll be a bit too cold in the winter and a bit too warm in the summer. Purchasing a cheap fan or heater that’s one-fifth the price of your cellphone bill will bring you happiness for the entire semester.
Mini Fridge
If your dorm doesn’t have anything to put left overs in then you need a mini fridge. This isn’t just about convenience of keeping your sodas cold, but having a mini fridge can actually save you money since it gives you the option to avoid eating at the campus cafeteria everyday. You also never know when you might get hungry. Not having access to food in your dorm is a recipe for disaster, especially during finals week.
