Every August students quickly pack up the must-have belongings that they need to achieve success for the long school year ahead. From shower sandals to Ramen noodles, it's crucial to bring the items that keep students going when the semester gets tough.
Here is a Top-Five list of essential items for students to have in order to make it through the semester alive. While some are not an obvious choice, they are essential items to have, especially while living in the dorms.
Number Five on the list is everyone's favorite past time: watching television. Always a student's trusty companion, television provides an escape from reality in the form of mindless entertainment.
"Watching TV ... helps pass the time when I don't want to do my homework," said Natalie Nason, a senior political-science major. "It's a good way to bond with people, and it's a no-fail procrastination tool."
For freshmen, television is a great way to make new friends. Whether it's bonding over the latest catfight on "The Hills" or inviting hall-mates over to watch a movie, television can provide endless and cheap fun-especially when not everybody has one.
An all-American quick fix comes in at Number Four. Quick and easy food that doesn't require a stove is one of the basic staples of collegiate living and something most seasoned students have stockpiled. Whether it's peanut butter and jelly or a mac n' cheese meal, these essentials can be a lifesaver for those short on both cash and time.
"Peanut butter and jelly would be the thing I need the most," said Joe Shaw, a freshman physical therapy major. "That's all I ever eat."
Ranking Number Three is the infinitely useful personal computer-although campus dwellers know the crippling effect on them when the Internet fails.
Both pertinent to academic success and a source of mindless entertainment for Facebook stalkers and MySpace junkies, the personal computer makes up for what on-campus libraries and computing centers lack.
"I don't have my computer at the moment, and I'm completely lost without it. Using the campus computers all the time for everything is harder than I thought," said Holly Castleman, a freshman psychology major. "I feel so disconnected from the world without my computer."
Whether it be a laptop or desktop, a personal computer often saves students from countless hours of waiting in line to use Cybrary computers.
Falling in at Number Two are the vital Buffalo survival tools: candles, LED flashlights and radios. When the power goes out or the snow shuts you in, these are the ultimate in winter warfare.
"If you are a student in Buffalo and do not have a stockpile of flashlights and candles ready to go for each school year, then you obviously have never survived a winter in Buffalo," said Kyle Fisher, a senior computer engineering major.
Last but not least, in the coveted Number One position, is the iPod, which needs no description or depiction due to the number of white ear buds that can be seen protruding from students' earlobes. Not only are they portable and supply hours of entertainment, iPods provide a good excuse for conversational sidestepping.
"I totally love my iPod. I don't know what I would do without it-it's the perfect cover for when you get to class early and you have nothing else to do," said Elizabeth Dunlavey, a junior psychology major. "I can just rock out to my favorite songs and it fills the time perfectly."
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
