Heads up, IU is the farthest thing away from a campus of cookie cutter students. This post is just about what I bought to prepare for freshman year. In no way am I even suggesting that you have to have all this stuff and be “mainstream." I’ll say it time and again that the best part of IU is the diversity of the students. And when I say diversity, I’m not just talking about race and religion; we all have different styles, opinions and interests. That’s what makes campus an amazing place.
Now, I’m not one for labels, but I tend to like “mainstream” stuff - if you do too, consider my school gear buys as a shopping list!
- North Face backpack– I LOVE my North Face backpack. A lot of people use them on campus. They’ve got lots of compartments for all your needs. I use the Women's Recon (they've actually redesigned it since I got mine) but it has a laptop space, a large zip section (for spirals and textbooks), a front zip section (pens/pencils that I’m too lazy to put back in my pencil case), a little zip section (my accounting calculator and random stuff), a water bottle holder on each side and a front section to stuff my sweatshirt in. My sister loves her Borealis model too! Other popular brands include Jansport and Vera Bradley.
Recon model shown above.
- Laptop – First semester I had a PC laptop by Lenovo and it was super useful because I took K201 and you can only use Windows for that class. I ended up getting a MacBook Air 13 inch for Christmas so I used that second semester. I prefer my MacBook for general purposes.
- Lilly Pulitzer laptop case – Lilly actually doesn’t make these anymore, but I got mine off of Etsy from a monogram shop. I use this for when I’m going to the library or coffeeshop and don’t need my other school supplies.
- Vera Bradley pencil case– I use the “Brush and Pencil” cosmetic case. Fits everything I need (pens, pencils, highlighters, eraser, extra pencil lead, hand sanitizer and lip balm).
- Lilly Pulitzer agenda– I love being organized so having a cute agenda is imperative! This coming school year will be my third year using a Lilly agenda. They are gorgeous and really well designed. I have been using the large agenda size and I think it’s perfect for everything I want to write down. Kate Spade agendas are also super cute and functional.
- Longchamp large Le Pliage purse– This is my other school bag. I switch off between my North Face depending on my outfit/mood. Also waterproof and very durable. I like black because it goes with most everything, but Longchamp has tons of cute colors.
I have one. Kate Middleton has one. I am basically the Duchess of Cambridge.
- Case-Mate Tough Case– I know this isn’t really school gear but a phone case is necessary when you’re clumsy like me and it flings out of your grasp as you’re walking to class and talking with highly animated hand gestures. In my senior year of high school I designed a custom phone case on Case-Mate (with a Lilly Pulitzer print) and I’m still using it and it’s still so protective and so cute! I highly recommend the “tough” style because it’s very protective while still relatively thin and light. I kept my ID card in the back of it and it was still slim enough to be comfortable in my back pocket.
As far as actual supplies for class goes, it depends on what you’re taking and who your professor is. I used Five Star spiral notebooks, my laptop and kept an accordion folder for all my class handouts and syllabi. Again, if you already have a system that works for you, stick with it! The key to academic success is learning your way! School is all on you in college; professors aren’t checking on your progress with nightly homework. Many classes are completely based on just the midterm and final!
To wrap it up, yes, if you end up purchasing some of the above, you will fit in with many IU students. BUT if you want to stand out, do it! Be who you are; IU is a place of acceptance. Whether it be how you dress, who you love, your political opinions or religious beliefs, you will find support in the Hoosier community.