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Peer Advice: What's In My School Bag? Pharmacy Edition

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Welcome to the MBKU Pharmily!

My favorite part about back-to-school season has always been about the school supplies. After experiencing my first year of pharmacy school online, I am more excited than ever before to come prepared and tackle my in-person pharmlife. Here is a list of school supplies that will be in my computer backpack…

1. IPad Pro 12.9-inch

In undergrad, I always preferred taking notes with paper and 0.5 led pencils. After discovering note-taking apps like Notability and GoodNotes, I was able to level up my organization and creativity skills by ten-fold. I would import all my lecture slides posted by my professors onto my iPad, so that during class I could write directly on the documents while using an array of colors from a palette that I created. I saved a lot of paper, as well as stress, by finding a form of technology that benefited my note-taking habits.

2. Laptop

As much as I love my iPad, I would always use my laptop in classes that require me to type more. I do recommend using a computer backpack if you plan to bring your laptop to school every day.

3. Planner

Besides relying on my outlook calendar to notify me 15 minutes before every meeting I have, there is something therapeutic and fulfilling about making a to-do list with exam dates laid out on a hard copy. The act of physically checking off my to-do list makes me feel more accomplished and it helps me to not forget the quizzes that I have daily.

4. Water bottle

When I feel stressed or really focused on a lecture, it can be hard for me to stay hydrated. Personally, having a water bottle near me is just a great reminder to drink more water and our campus has refill stations which is super convenient!

5. AirPods Pro

I am the type of student that does not study well in quiet areas, so I enjoy listening to Studio Ghibli music or Yiruma when I am in the library. My favorite feature about AirPods is the noise cancellation feature because it lets me tune out when I am working out or meditating.

6. Charger case

I can be forgetful when it comes to charging my phone and iPad, so I keep a charger case with me to protect my chargers and in case I wake up with 10% on my iPhone.

7. Casio Calculator FX-300MS

A non-programmable calculator was required to have in a few of my first-year courses, so I always keep my handy Casio calculator with me for when I need to do calculations in class.

8. Clipboard

Even though I have my iPad to take notes, if there are instances where I am not able to find a good writing surface and want to jot something down real quick, I like to carry around a clipboard.

9. Pencil Case…I should call it the highlighter case

I love to highlight and make my notes colorful so that when I go back to study them, I can immediately point out what the professor emphasized in class. Also, when my notes look aesthetically pleasing it gives me the drive to stay organized especially since I am a kinesthetic learner.

10. Student ID

Having your student ID with you is a MUST to get from building to building because we need to scan our ID for access.

11. A pouch that contains…

-hand sanitizer

-hand lotion

-lip balm

-tissues

-sticky lint roller to get dust off of my business casual clothes

-mints (so I can avoid mask breath and if I need something to wake me up in class)

-floss

-extra face masks

-medicine

-first aid kit

12. Extra (Business Casual) Clothes

I won’t be keeping clothes in my backpack, but I plan on keeping extra clothes in my locker in case I spill something or forget to dress formal on a day that a guest speaker comes to class.