Life at the university can be equal parts challenging and boring, and this is why every college student must have an arsenal of well-thought-out gadgets, appliances, and everyday products that can help them survive the collegiate experience. From the mundane to the absolute must-haves, here is a short list of important items that every college student must get.

Powerbank

Having a smartphone to help you get connected with your class colleagues and with your family back home is great, but how many times have you had that experience when no sooner had you charged your phone than it got drained again? Let’s face it, having your phone all juiced up every time is very important since you’re likely using it for everything—from filming school projects to listening to Apple Music and Spotify. With a powerful powerbank, you’ll be able to face the challenge of low-charged devices with confidence. Make sure to get one that offers 10,000 or more of battery capacity.

E-Reader

For those wanting to take a break from reading handouts and other documents off their official class syllabi, books are the perfect companions. However, lugging around all your favorite titles and those you still want to read can be cumbersome if not completely impossible. Thankfully, there are e-readers that can store hundreds or thousands of books at any given time. The best thing about e-readers is that, unlike tablets, they have a non-glare screen that mimics the look of paper. This way, your eyes won’t get strained from staring into the screen for long periods of time. Best-selling brands of e-readers include the Amazon Kindle series, Rakuten Kobo’s Kobo series, and Barnes and Noble’s Nook series.

Induction Cooker

Induction cookers are really like magical devices that allow penny-pinching college students to experiment with their cooking in their dorm without incurring exorbitant energy costs. This is because induction cookers work not by flames or by heating elements (which consume too much electricity) but through the principle of electromagnetic induction. The cooker plate generates magnetic fields, and when a pan or pot is placed on top of it, these magnetic fields induce electric currents that are converted to heat when they run through the metal. In short the heat comes from the pan or pot itself. The only caveat, though, is you have to use an iron pan or pot, or one that is equipped with an iron bottom.

Google Chromecast

Google Chromecast is one of the best entertainment companions that you can have during your college years. These digital media players come in the form of small dongles that you can plug into your TV’s HDMI port (make sure that your telly has one). After setting it up, you’ll be able to stream your favorite shows from various networks and OTT content providers, including Netflix, HBO Now, Hulu, and YouTube. It’s really a must-have for cord cutters everywhere, including college students who don’t like to be hostage to the extortionate fees of cable companies. The best part? It costs just $35.

Portable Bluetooth Music Player

It’s great to wear your headset and keep your music all to yourself, but there will be times when you just have to share your sounds with the rest of the squad. Case in point: parties, homework sleepovers, or just while you’re hanging around the steps of the library with your friends. And did we mention parties? With a portable Bluetooth music player, you can play music off your phone’s playlist in a breeze.

Game Console

After many days of studying and diligently doing your schoolwork, you should also give yourself time to relax. For many college-aged kids, the best way to sooth their frazzled nerves is by playing video games. To make the most of your free hours, get the Nintendo Switch hybrid console, which gives you the flexibility to play games on your TV or on the go. To use with your television, you simply have to insert the main unit into the docking station. To use on your hands, you just have to snap the controllers back on the sides, and view your gameplay on the LCD screen as you would on a tablet computer.

Dry Shampoo

If you’ve ever had to cram a paper or a homework before hurrying to a class, you would understand the virtue of missing a shower or two. Nevertheless, you don’t have to look like a spawn of the swamp monster. With a few sprays or dash of dry shampoo, your limp, oil-slicked hair will be back to its usual bouncy and voluminous self. Dry shampoo is essentially a spray or powder formula that absorbs the oily gook on your hair for those times when you don’t have time to shower. However, don’t make a habit of using this stuff. Not showering for several days in a row is just plain gross, people.

Underbed Storage Boxes

Whether it’s off-season clothing or old books from your freshmen year, an underbed storage box is the perfect dorm accessory where you can keep all those items that you won’t be needing for a long time. This humble object has been a lifesaver for many college students over the years, helping them make dorm living a little bit more organized. Make sure to buy one that comes with a lid that you can fasten tightly. This will help keep dust and vermin off your precious stuff.

This is by no means a complete list, but they are a good start. Which of these are you getting for the next semester?

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