College is a time of transitioning into adulthood, and handling many responsibilities at once can become burdensome. However, there are a handful of items that can help contribute to an efficient, daily routine in the lives of college students. To stay afloat in the chaos of everyday college life, here are some items that every college student should consider:

Alarm Clock

Though a phone may be the default alarm clock for many college students, sometimes they simply may not ring technical issues. In addition, heavy sleepers can only set so many alarms on their phone to wake up. Therefore, an actual alarm clock comes in handy to wake you up, and odds are you can’t hit snooze on it either. Because every college student is likely not able to sleep in seven days a week, an alarm clock makes for a decent investment, and it can carry over in usefulness well after college is over.

Planner

A hard-copy planner is useful to jot down tasks and assignments and stay on track with your responsibilities. Though writing notes on a phone is possible, a planner provides space to write down tasks per day and contact information of others too. You can view all assignments in one area, which means you can plan ahead.

Calendar

A useful calendar can either be the year-long paper copy or even a wooden 30-day one that requires an Expo marker. Both options allow you to write down major commitments or assignments and display in your room. Whereas a planner keeps you organized for daily assignments and tasks, a calendar provides a glimpse of major tasks for the month ahead, like an intramural game, major presentation/project, extracurricular activity, job interview, going home, or anything else big in your life.

Headphones

Though more students are likely to have headphones than not, the importance of headphones has risen by the year. Headphones to listen to music provide students with their mental energy and motivation to keep going. They are especially useful when sitting on a bus, walking on campus, studying, or for simply listening to music as a reliever. Though there are luxurious headphones, there are also cheap and efficient ones that are equally as beneficial.

Watch

Phones are not the best way to keep track of time in class, as they are generally frowned upon, and using yours may result in a stare or even some words from a professor. Hence, a watch is useful, as you can keep track of time without having to get out your phone all the time. You don’t need to have the fanciest watch with all the astounding features, but one with time, day of the week, and date is enough.

TV

TVs of all sizes are now available, and come in much cheaper packages. Though streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Roku are much more popular than regular TV channels, many smart TVs offer the option to log in to your streaming accounts and watch like any other show. To destress, a TV is a great item to purchase to watch shows by yourself or with your roommates so you can choose your shows instead of watching on somebody else’s TV or on the one TV in the main lounge of a dorm.

Microwave

Whether you live in an apartment or dorm, a microwave can come in real handy. Though microwaves are generally a must for apartment inhabiting students, having one in the dorms can allow you to warm up food from a restaurant or something that was packed from home.

Umbrella

Because it is likely to rain at some point during the school year, umbrellas are practical as they prevent college students from getting drenched, especially since the walking distances around campuses are fairly long. Though hoodies are a thorough shield from a downpour, that same luxury is not provided on a hot, rainy late summer day. Therefore, an umbrella comes in use so you are not completely soaked as you take a seat in class.

Portable Phone Charger

This last item is a big one and possibly a very worthwhile investment, as spending long days on campus drains phone batteries. If the dreaded prospect of having no charging ports nearby is true, then a portable phone charger can restore your phone. They can even come in clutch while on the bus or in class.

Staying organized is an essential component of college, as balancing multiple tasks and effectively managing time is one of the most important things to know as you transition into adulthood. With these items, your life can flow as smoothly as one of your favorite episodes you decide to stream on your TV.