What You Need to Survive the Weekend Coffee Shop Study Session
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My most favorite part about school being back in session is spending my entire Saturday and/or Sunday at my local Starbucks. I would go to a local spot, but I’ve got that Gold Member status at Starbucks and I’m all about those free refills…
Anyways, as I was saying, I basically live in coffee shops on the weekends. I love the environment, the constant background chatter is honestly very soothing, and I love people watching.
But, there’s nothing worse than getting a table, sitting down, take your first sip of coffee, and realize you forgot your sticky notes or your textbook. Can we all just agree that that’s actually the worst??
Phone & Laptop Chargers
If you’re going to be in for the long haul at your next coffee shop study session, chargers are a must. Some people can live life on the edge and not bring chargers with them, but that makes me anxious, and every time I do that, something notoriously dies.
I always make sure to bring the extension portion for my Mac charger because you never know how far away the wall outlet will be. It could be right next to you (#bless) or it could be halfway across the coffee shop.
So, live life on the edge and don’t bring chargers, or be prepared and have that laptop and phone charger in your bag.
Textbooks, Notebooks, & Sticky Notes
Like I said earlier, forgetting any one of these is actually the worst.
Before I head to the coffee shop, I like to write out a to-do list of what I want to accomplish while I’m there. From that list, I can see exactly what books and supplies I’ll need. Having that list is also what keeps me accountable during my 4-hour stay at the coffee shop.
No matter whether I’m going to class, the coffee shop, or hanging in my room, I keep the necessities in my bag at all times:
- Colorful pens
- Printer and lined paper
- Sticky notes of all shapes and sizes
- Highlighters
- My favorite black pen (thanks Kayla for getting me hooked on these)
Related: College Note Taking Tips
Planner
Would I even be a blogger if I didn’t have some sort of colorful planner and/or multiple planners in my bag at all times?
If you’ve seen my Instagram or have been following this blog over the past few months, you know that I’m a loyal Rifle Paper Co. planner addict. I had their planner this year, and I now have another one this year. I love love the design and the to-do list style days.
But sometimes that planner can get a bit hectic, and that’s when I turn to the Class Tracker. The Class Tracker is more of a ‘class tracker’ and less of a planner. What I love about it is that it has specific sections for quizzes & exams, assignments, activities, and daily to-do reminders.
I use both of these consistently, and I feel like the Rifle Paper Co. planner and the Class Tracker seamlessly work together. For my constantly stressed brain, both of these help keep me sane.
For more information on the Class Tracker, click here.
Headphones
You should know how essential headphones are whilst in college, and while you’re chilling at your local coffee shop, they’re even more essential.
Sure you could be that person who likes the coffee shop jams and hearing the chatter of everyone, but for me, I want to listen to my own study music. They block out people’s conversations, and help me actually focus on work instead of notoriously listening to said conversations.
Whether or not you’re using them for studying or not, headphones are a must-have in college.
Snacks & H20
** please excuse the lack of apostrophes in this section. my computer is broken and my apostrophe key doesn’t work…. **
Maybe you’re the kind of person who can go several hours without eating, but for me, I always have food on my mind. If Im not snacking, Im eating a meal.
I love to pack a protein bar or granola bar because they’re portable, convenient, and not messy at all. Although Im always slightly afraid that someone is going to come over to me and tell me that I cant be eating my granola bar because I didn’t buy it in the store…
Coffee can also be dehydrating, so I always like to keep a water bottle on hand. Im practically like a fish, and I drink so much water a day. Like were talking a gallon or more on the daily.
Alright, what’d you think of those coffee shop essentials? Is there anything that you cannot live without while you’re studying?
~abigail gray
