Back to School Essentials for College Freshmen

The school year is just around the corner, and as a college freshman, you are likely starting to think about school supplies you might need to buy. There are so many things to consider, it can seem overwhelming at first. Although your shopping list might depend upon the classes you are taking, there are a few things every student should own. This list of back-to-school essentials for college freshmen contains items I personally recommend for starting out the school year right.

1. Daily planner. My college provided planners at the beginning of each school year, which were extremely useful in keeping track of assignments, projects and events each day. Although I graduated a few years ago, I still use a daily planner to keep track of upcoming events.

2. Book bag or backpack. You will likely need to carry several books, notebooks, papers and various other supplies to and from class each day -- and possibly from one class to another. A book bag or backpack will come in handy when you need to keep all your supplies together.

3. Notebooks and pens. You will probably benefit from taking notes in class, which requires a notepad and pen at the very least. College rule notebooks are better for cramming in the notes, and you might like to have several pens available, in case one dries up.

4. Highlighters. I like to have a highlighter handy for keeping track of important information in my textbooks or notes. Buy dry highlighters to keep from marking through the pages with wet ink.

5. Laptop. Sure, most colleges have computer labs for your convenience, but what happens when you have an important paper due on the same day as the rest of your class? A basic laptop will cost several hundred dollars, but you will find it to be invaluable. Consider getting an inexpensive printer, as well.

6. Debit card. Cash is easily stolen, and it is irreplaceable. Credit cards make overspending too easy. A debit card is secure, and you can make sure it is accessible for your parents to add money, should the need arise.

7. USB flash drive. Flash drives are just plain great to have. They are fairly inexpensive, depending on size, and will allow you to move research papers or other documents from one computer to another. If you use it solely for saving school documents, you will likely need a basic drive with minimal memory.

Of course, you will likely need to buy other school supplies for your freshman year of college, depending on the classes you take; this is just a list of the basic essentials you might find useful.