1. A nice glass of water.
You will spend enough time sipping out of a Solo cup to realize the value of a nice glass of water. The water tastes better and is colder, and, frankly, it's just plain classy. Who wants to wash dishes after they're finished, though? You already know your lazy self will stick to the plastic cups, but some part of you will remember back to a time where you used real silverware and drank from IKEA glasses. The good ole days.
2. Post-It notes.
For someone like me, who does not keep an agenda and is not super organized, post-it notes are game-changers. They are everywhere: on my laptop, on my door, above my desk. They're good for short term goals and making sure that you write down absolutely everything you need to do for the week or the day.
3. Coffee.
I came into college thinking that coffee was not a necessity. Staying up until 4 a.m. doing homework? I can do that! Oh, how ignorant I was. Say hello to a new believer, because coffee is the only reason why I can get things done anymore. Doubt the truth? Try it for yourself. A caramel mocha at Starbucks will change your life and don't say I didn't tell you.
4. A big umbrella (or just an umbrella in general).
Just wait until the first monsoon of the year. While you think it might, that sorority rain jacket just isn't gonna cut it. You're gonna wish you had a mega-sized golf umbrella to huddle under on that long walk to class. A small one will do, though.
5. Study guides.
As someone who needs their information structured and organized, I miss the good ole days when high school teachers would provide study guides for their tests. While making your own is a great way to study, I miss the days where filling out the guide would guarantee an A on the test.
6. Working technology.
This is more of a personal issue. In high school, we had a technology specialist that we would walk down the hall and have fix our laptops; in college, it's definitely, and sadly, not the same game. I have gone through two laptops this semester, and a problem with them requires spending time and money going to Best Buy just for the Geek Squad to tell you that you need a new laptop. Cherish working technology, because it is rare.