What as a college student can I not live without? Hint: instant ramen is not one of them. As a full-time student, there are several key items that everyone should carry with them or have in their dorm room or apartment, many of which are overlooked mostly because packing for school can be so disorienting and chaotic that perhaps even the most organized pupil cannot avoid forgetting at least something, and chances are, your shiny new coffee maker will not be forgotten.

1. General office supplies are a big one.

This includes scissors (which I personally forgot), a stapler, tape, highlighters, pens, a calculator, paper clips, post-it notes, a desk calendar, etc.

Sure, you might think that there is no way you could forget basic school supplies, but some of these you definitely did not have to bring to class with you during grade school and when you have at least four other lists worth of things you need to pack to make a new space yours for the next eight or nine months, including home decor and photographs to cure homesickness, it doesn’t sound quite so unreasonable to space on a few items.

2. Shower shoes and a razor/shaving cream or soap.

This is another one that might have you thinking how could I possibly leave this behind, but you totally could, and I know of at least a few people this happened to.

3. An alarm clock that is both semi-loud and annoying.

This is honestly a must, you can use your phone if you don’t get notifications at two or three in the morning that are connected to your alarm volume (unfortunately all I have is the media volume for alarms and notifications, and the ringer volume) or a standard plug-in alarm clock. Don’t ever think, even on weekends, that you can just go to sleep without an alarm, you will sleep too much and miss classes or events, or cut down on much needed study time.

4. Self-confidence/esteem.

Okay, this one is not a physical item, but college is a new environment, for the most part, nearly every year as things are always altering. It is so simple to get caught up in the comparative thing when you are surrounded by so many people your same age. In a time of opportunity, you might notice other’s opportunities with activities, vacations/study abroad, parties, and more and wonder why you do not have those things. College is not budget friendly and everyone is just trying to get by while also having the time of their lives, so don’t be too rough on yourself.

5. Something to keep your nerves calm.

College or university life is full of question marks and a lot of uncertain/anxious moments and you will need somewhere to channel that excess energy. I store a lot of mine in my ring by constantly rotating it around my finger, flipping it over, tracing it, etc.. and I can’t picture a better way of concealing anxious energy. Try becoming a watch guy or taking a trip to the jeweler’s and investing in a bracelet or ring you can entertain yourself with.

Though there are few items on this list, these are key, and you will discover plenty more things that should belong here. But whether you are a first time or a returning college student, hopefully, this article can aid you in determining just what it is you are forgetting, or it can at least spark your imagination and get you pondering what you might want to pack this time.