By Makayla Cook
I am sure that I am not the only person on campus that is obsessed with Amazon and their endless things to spend my entire paycheck on. Every time that I get something in the mail from Amazon I always think that James Ballentine is probably shaking his head at how much stuff I get from them.
One of the many upsides to buying so many things from the site is that I can leave reviews and give recommendations. I have received so many compliments on the things that I have purchased such as my bookbag (I am convinced it is indestructible), the lights in my room, and my laptop case.
Coming into college, first-year students tend to bring an unnecessary amount of stuff, mostly items that they end up not using. I am going to share the items that I believe are the best bang for your buck being in college.
One word …lights!
Being in a dorm room with fluorescent lights beaming over you all of the time is not comfy or cozy. Personally, they give me headaches which is why I decided to bring my own lights.
The lights that I have in my room are from Amazon, they change colors, you can change the brightness, and they sync to music. These LED strip lights also connect to your phone just in case you do not feel like grabbing the remote.
Lights are also a great idea if you are planning on having a roommate. If you are studying and your roommate is trying to sleep, you can turn your lights on on your side and they can turn their lights off on their side of the room.
Stationery (the best part of school)
Obviously, in college, you are going to need plenty of highlighters, pens, a flash drive, and notebooks. Other than Walmart, Amazon is my favorite place to shop for neat school supplies. Every semester organizing my binders and book-bag is the definite highlight of my day.
As I mentioned earlier, I purchased my bookbag from there last year and it does not have any imperfections, rips, or holes. This is by far the best bookbag that I have ever had, especially considering that I carry a lot of stuff with me each day.
Next, there is my flash drive, super long charging cord, PILOT FriXIon pens, and neat power strip. The flash drive that I got is 32MB, super cute, my favorite color, and was less than $10. It is really convenient if I need to do a presentation or if I use a computer that is not my own.
iPhones are great but unfortunately, they are a little stingy on the length of their charging cables. I am one of those people that like to sit in bed while my phone is charging so this 10 foot cable is amazing.
With how long it is I can be at the end of my bed, rollover, and flip upside down and still have enough charge to do so. I also do not have to worry about that annoying message that pops up saying that the accessory is not supported.
Recently, I purchased a Rocketbook from Walmart on clearance. For those of you who do not know what that is, go check it out immediately! It is such a handy tool for students and individuals who write a lot or take notes.
The PILOT FriXion pens are erasable, refillable, and can be used on regular paper or with the Rocketbook. Having these pens allows me to take notes more neatly, color code easier, and just be more organized overall.
There are never enough plugs to charge my laptop, phone, apple watch, and plug my desk light in all at the same time. That is where my power strips come in handy, which I have two of. This sleek-looking power-strip incorporates my favorite color, blue, has 3 outlets, 2 USB ports, and an on/off button.
Those “treat yourself” items
It is perfectly fine to treat yourself to a little retail therapy every now and then. Some of the things that I bought just because are my LED TV lights, some beautiful succulents, an apple watch band, and a 64 oz. water bottle.
The LED TV lights make my room just a little more cozy and unique. They stick on the back of my flat-screen and plug into the USB port. These lights come with a remote in order for you to change the colors so that you can change them without getting up.
One of my favorite things that I have purchased so far are the succulents. I have cute glass pots for each of them and they come as a set of five. I also thought it was cool that when you buy these plants part of the profits go to help animals at local shelters that are at risk. Who doesn’t want nice things that also help animals?
I have an apple watch SE and I love being able to change the band. They have several different colors but I chose the cheetah print one. These bands are easy to install on your watch and are secured magnetically to your wrist.
Lastly, I have my outrageously huge water bottle. This is really nice especially if you are an athlete and need to stay hydrated throughout the day. I try to drink at least one whole bottle a day in order to stay hydrated. It comes in different colors and has motivational time markers so that you can keep yourself at a good pace each day.
Whether you are an Amazon fanatic like me or not, it is a great resource for individuals who may not want to go to the store because of COVID-19 or do not have transportation. The site has everything from groceries, to clothes, and even cosmetics. There is easily something for everyone offered through the site.
As a student, you can even get a discounted subscription for Amazon Prime for $4.99 per month. Amazon Prime allows you to get free and faster shipping on your items, access to Amazon Prime video, audiobooks, and music. Do yourself a favor and go check out the items that I shared and more (but try not to overdraft your account).