So you’re going to college, and the question on everyone’s mind is “what do I need for classes?” Everyone will have an opinion, so here’s what I recommend as an incoming freshman with a shopping addiction.
The first thing is a laptop. Of course you need a laptop, and the school sent a list available in the Stevens Backpack. However, as per Dell’s website, the laptop recommended for engineering students is over $5,000, but Dell Outlet has the same computer for less than $3,000, which is definitely more reasonable. However, according to multiple upperclassmen, you can get a gaming laptop with an Nvidia GPU — anything above a 4060. If you’re not an engineering student, consider a MacBook. The Neo might be tempting, but there will inevitably be software that will need more than eight gigabytes of RAM. Looking at a used MacBook Air through the Apple Refurbished Store can bring the price down to $1,099. Long story short, I recommend saving your money; give a computer another life.
If you love music as much as me, you have it continually running and need earbuds to last the day. It might be tempting to get the AirPods Pro 3, but they’re overpriced; the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation are very similar and still work with the Apple Ecosystem. Another option I’ve been using is the CMF Buds Pro 2 as a replacement for my AirPods Pro 2, which has given me better battery and noise cancellation for a fraction of the price.
To protect your shiny new (or used) laptop, you’ll want a water-resistant sleeve. They’re much cheaper than repairing it later, and they’re all over Amazon. Just make sure to buy the correct size.
I always use my iPad for notes, but there are far better options. I use the iPad Air 5th Generation, which has been discontinued in favor of the iPad Air M4 — both being very powerful and lightweight with a great battery, but you’ll pay for it. If you prefer Android, the Samsung Tab S10 Lite is far cheaper and comes with a stylus. If you’re easily distracted by social media, these might not be the best options. The BOOX Note Air 5C is my personal favorite digital notebook. It allows you to easily upload your notes to your phone or laptop and grants a battery life of up to three days under standard use.
Everyone has their own preference when it comes to pens, but at Hofstra University, my mentor required the use of Pilot G2 pens as they don’t smudge or bleed. Just don’t use markers in class. In addition to a writing tool, I’ll always carry a cheap college-ruled notebook. Do you remember those marble ones we all had in elementary school? Those are the best. They’re small and durable.
You’ll figure out what you need as the year goes on. Some people will need way more notebooks; others won’t touch them. It’s all about figuring this out for yourself. Luckily, Hoboken has a very short ferry ride to New York City, so whatever you don’t get can be bought later.
