24 Essentials for the College Bound

It’s that time of year again. Back to school time! It’s fantastic, exciting, nerve-wracking and scary all at the same time. As a parent, we want to be sure that our kids are prepared and ready to take on all the new adventures. Whether your kid is starting their first year away at college, or they are returning for a new semester, we want you to be confident that they are prepared and ready to succeed.

We received a variety of samples and/or compensation. All opinions are our own. 

Dorm Room Ready

Setting up your dorm will be easy with a bedding and bath collection from Our Campus Market. You can personalize a full collection that will have all the items to get their dorm room set up and create a space to call their own. Their Varsity Collection includes 27 items including comforter, sheets, throws, foam bed topper, a full towel set, hamper, fan, lamp, and more! There are over 60 styles and combinations to pick from. We customized the Leilani Aqua Varsity Set, and I was really impressed with the full, complete set. It covers all the basics, and more, to get ready for your dorm!

 

Heading to college can be tough. For many students it is their first venture away from home, and homesickness can be hard to handle. Help your student bring a little bit of family with them with a MASTERPIX™ Fine Glass Print. Your favorite photo can be printed directly on thin, durable, optically clear Corning® Gorilla® Glass using UV-cured inks that allow the colors of your photo to remain rich and vibrant. This 5×7 print is the perfect size for a desk. MASTERPIX™ Fine Glass Prints are tough and easy to clean, and perfect for the dorm room or work space of your favorite student. Your most treasured memories can now be preserved on a glossy or matte finish glassprint, either on its own or as part of a collage. Learn more and create your MASTERPIX glass prints today at www.MASTERPIX.com.

 

The one thing that makes me feel like I’m “home” no matter where I go is a pillow that is comfortable and supportive. Slumbr has a pillow quiz to help you find the perfect pillow for your sleeping type. Whether you sleep on your belly, back, side, or toss and turn changing positions through the night they have something to fit your preferences. I’m all for soft, squishy pillows while my husband needs something firm but conforming. It was great to see how Slumbr could meet each of our unique preferences. One of the pillows we tried was their Ara Buckwheat Pillow. It is probably the strangest pillow you’ve ever heard of! It’s filled with buckwheat hulls, which means it’s a firm pillow, but completely custom fit to your neck and head each time you sleep. Just adjust the pillow until it’s just right, and you’ll have a consistent supportive pillow throughout the night. The pillow actually blew me away. It’s really unique, and surprisingly very comfortable and supportive! Head to Slumbr to find the perfect pillow for your needs.

 

Chemical-free dorm room cleaning has never been easier thanks to Baby Care by e-cloth® . Baby Care is a great line of comfort care cleaning products designed to help eliminate the use of toxic household chemicals. By simply using water and a cloth, Baby Care products eliminate 99% of germs. Whether you use these cleaning products at home or your dorm room, you can enjoy a clean and chemical free environment with peace of mind. Some of my absolute favorite Baby Care products include their Baby Care Cloths, The Chemical-Free Cleaning Deep Clean Mop, and the Light-Weight Flexi-Edge Floor Duster. They make cleaning quick, effective, and safe for the entire family!

 

College Essentials

Stock their dorm room with something other than pizza. We all know the saying, starving student, make sure they are eating something healthy by leaving them with Stoneridge Orchards dried fruits. They’re the perfect brain food for the busy student on the go. Stoneridge Orchards dried fruits are all-natural, organic and loaded with vitamins A, C and potassium. You won’t be there every day to make sure they’re eating right, but you can at least make sure they have good food on hand.

 

With the start of a new school year, it’s important to take time and relax. You want to know my favorite way to relax? Curling up in the hammock and reading a book. Seaturtle Sports Turtle Nest makes the perfect hammock whether you set it up in your dorm room, porch, at the beach, or in the backyard. Perfect for up to two people (can hold up to 400 pounds), this hammock provides ample room and comfort. Best of all, its lightweight design makes it easy to pack up and go wherever this new school year takes you. Be sure to visit Seaturtle Sports for more fun outdoor games and gadgets!

 

One of my favorite aspects about college was having a fun social life – in particular, get-togethers. Let’s be honest, is there anything better than friends and food? Perfect for using as a serving or vanity tray, Ellebelle‘s “Orange Blossom” Decorative Tray With Glass Top will be the talking piece of any party. This rectangular blond poplar wood tray compliments its original Turkish Ebru Marbling print beautifully. Designed with round corners and glass on top, this beautiful piece of art truly is a must for every get-together. Be sure to visit Ellebelle for more fashionable accessories, decor, and clothing.

 

Staying active and fit is important to not overlook even amid your studies. Don’t spend all your time with your nose in the textbooks, or you’ll miss out on the unique college experience that is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Cotopaxi has all the essentials to help you get active and outdoors. Their brand focuses on making life an adventure. They carry pants, jackets, backpacks and more to help you hit the trail and keep an active lifestyle. I’m loving their Samburu Pants that are made to transition from a trail back to the classroom or office without skipping a beat. They are lightweight and made with a moisture-wicking stretch fabric that gives a wide range of motion. Another great product to keep on hand is their Tikal Active Shell that can fold up super light and compact and can be pulled out of your backpack to protect you from unexpected rain.

 

Tech Tools to Make the Grade

From thousands of Power Point lectures to all those papers that will be due soon, Epson has all your printing needs covered.  Easily print from anywhere in the house or dorm with the Epson XP-430’s simple to set up Wi-Fi printing. You can even download the app and print from your smart devices. Send an e-mail with things to your printer’s unique e-mail address to print too. With so many functions like scan, copy and wireless printing, you will have all your college printing needs in one device with Epson.

 

From Pre-Algebra to Calculus, Statistics, Chemistry or Physics, Casio has a calculator for all your math needs. The Casio Prizm Graphing Calculator puts math in motion with real images and photos to help aid your learning. With a range of 10 different courses covered, you’re sure to have picked the right Graphing Calculator for your class. The large, high resolution and colorful display will help you visualize and mirror what you see in your textbooks. No more monochromatic ranges of confusing gray.  With the Casio Prizm fx-CG10 you will learn math your way.

 

With all the time you will be spending at the computer, it would be great to have fun bright colored tools to brighten up the gloomy homework days. Logitec has just the thing to bring fun to any boring task with their new Party Collection of mice. The new Logitec Party collection has a battery lasting up to 18 months and a variety of fun colors and patterns. They’re wireless with a 33 ft roam range and compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux or Chrome. So grab a new, fun, brightly colored Logitec mouse and navigate through your homework smoothly and easily.

 

Plan a permanent spot to stash your phone and devices so they’re never lost with MagBuddy. This cool gadget is so incredibly easy to use. Just add a MagBuddy Plate to the back to your device. The plate is a thin adhesive plate that can be attached to the case, the back of the phone, or even to the battery under the back of the phone. This means you can use your existing favorite case and then your phone can attach to your MagBuddy bases wherever you place them around the house. We put one on our fridge, one in the car, one on the desk – everywhere we put our phone. The powerful earth magnets in MagBuddy are 30% stronger than the competition and securely keep your device in place.

 

Be Prepared for Anything

Help them always stay in touch with the battery power and charging tools to do so. We’re loving the quality of Tough Tested Armor Weave cables that are designed for extreme durability. They have a PET polymer woven jacket and a tip that is reversible so you’ll get a charge no matter which way you plugin your device. It’s amazing when there’s no more fiddling to get the perfect connection and the cord the right direction. For power on the go, grab a Solar Dual USB Battery Pack. They can clip it onto their backpack and let it charge on the way to class and then recharge their devices as needed – up to 2 devices at a time! Tough Tested has everything your student will need for staying powered and ready for the school year.

 

Cramming for a last minute test? Take Instant Energy! Trying to avoid the cold bug that’s being passed around your classmates? Grab Immune Strength. Need a good night’s rest against your first day nerves? Turn to Sweet Dreams. Instavit offers a variety of oral spray vitamins and supplements that can help the new college student tackle their concerns easily. The formulas taste great and are easy to tote around with a small vial just larger than a tube of chapstick. Choose from one of InstaVit’s seven vitamin and supplement sprays to stay on track through the school year.

 

Take away the worry of sending your child off to school on their own by sending them off with an emergency kit that will cover them for the unexpected. Live Prepared has four different emergency kit lines to choose from including Home, Food, Gear and Auto. The kits are designed to take care of all the planning and preparation for you so you can just feel more confident knowing that if an emergency hits, they’ll be ready. The best part is the Live Prepared kits come in either a sturdy rubber tote or a secure backpack or package with everything neatly stored so they can stay out of the way until needed. Grab a Live Prepared Home Emergency Kit or Car emergency kit and the peace of mind that comes with it.

 

Here in Arizona, we don’t really think about rain until it’s happening. In other places, however, people need umbrellas and rain gear more often. Wherever you’re going away to school at, be prepared for the weather with an umbrella from Totes. Their large selection of patterns will leave you with a hard time deciding which one you like more. Stay dry and ready with an umbrella or other rain gear from Tote.

 

Be prepared for a hot day or a trip to the gym with an EnduraCool towel from MISSION Athletecare. With a soak, a wring and a snap, the EnduraCool towel will keep you cool and dry on any hot day. The Instant cool technology, when activated, will chill the fabric’s temperature up to 30 degrees. This easily portable, EnduraCool towel is the best addition to any hot day out or gym bag. You can even try out one of MISSION Athletecare’s other EnduraCool Instant Cooling Gear and Accessories.

 

I remember my freshman year of college, standing in the parking lot, alone, after a late class, waiting for campus security to come jump start my car. My battery was dead. There was no one else around who could jumpstart it and I had to wait over an hour for security to squeeze me into their schedule. I wish I had had a RAVPower 14000mAh Element Car Jump Starter. This powerful and portable 14000mAh power bank can jump start your car up to 20 times, fully charge your smartphone multiple times, plus it is a LED flashlight.  You can send your college student out on their own with peace of mind knowing they are prepared for just about anything. The RavPower 14000mAh power bank is a must have for every student!

 

College Style

Let’s be honest, the first step to a successful college year is looking your best. Thankfully, Love Winnie James offers stylish clothing perfect for every woman. Whether you’re looking for comfortable dresses, stylish leggings, active wear, killer shoes, or tops, Love Winnie James has it all. One of my absolute favorite Love Winnie James outfits includes their Blue Nantucket Dress. Soft, comfortable, and perfect for warm summer days, this dress is perfect for the classroom, date night, or on-the-go. My personal favorite perk about the dress – pockets! Any dress with pockets is a win in my book. Start this new school year out right with apparel from Love Winnie James. Use Coupon Code LOVEMEAGAN and receive 15% off your order through 8/17.

 

To the showers or just to class, Jack Rogers flip flops are stylish and practical. These thick rubber flip-flops are all you need for a comfortable day in class or a trip to the dorm room showers. Choose them in a variety of colors to accentuate your wardrobe. The easy to slip-on Jack Rogers flip flops will save you time and will add a sophisticated look to your closet.

 

I don’t know about you, but I LIVED in yoga pants while studying in college. Every day after I’d get home from class, I’d change into my favorite yoga pants and hit the books. Perfect for yoga, running, meditation, or just lounging at home, Yoga Berries offers the most adorable line of Mommy and Me yoga clothes. Featuring bright and bold prints, these yoga pants are incredibly comfortable with their soft fabric and stretchy waistband. Some of my absolute favorites include Yoga Berries picks include the Pink Aztec, Star Spangled, and Red Bandanna patterns. Perfect for little girls, teens, college students, and moms, be sure to look to Yoga Berries for all of your yoga wear needs.

 

The start of a new school year often means that the chill of Fall is in the air. Look your best this fall season with Patagonia’s Nano Puff Jacket. I have to admit, this Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket is probably my favorite jacket that I’ve owned. The sleek waterproof design makes it perfect for literally any occasion – camping, cool weather, rain, snow, etc. Best of all, it’s made with PrimaLoft Gold Insulated Eco which makes it extremely light weight. In fact, it’s so light weight that I can take it anywhere… I literally fold it up in my backpack and it hardly takes up any room. Talk about a dream! Be sure to visit Patagonia for more back-to-school favorites.

 

Walking around the dorm will be more comfortable in a pair of Isotoner Slippers. Keep your feet warm and cozy on those hard dorm floors. These jersey knit, soft sherpa lined slippers are stylish in a range of colors with a beautiful flower. The memory foam molds to your feet to provide a comfortable cushion. Isotoners Slippers are great for indoor or outdoor wear. With hundreds of different styles and colors to choose from, you will be sure to find an Isotoner Slipper that you will love.

 

If you haven’t heard of the LuLaRoe craze, you’re missing out! They offer modest, super comfortable fashions sold through independent fashion consultants. The craze all started with their amazing, fun and funky print leggings. They’re buttery soft and so incredibly comfortable that you’ll want to live in them. Pair the fun leggings with an Irma top that covers you in all the right places and fitted through the sleeve for a feminine look. My current obsession is the LuLaRoe Nicole dress. Falling in love with LuLaRoe is all about finding a fashion consultant that gets you and can help you find thing right prints, sizing, and styles that fit you perfectly. Head over and join the Shop LuLaRoe Ashley Mangini Facebook Group for exclusive pop-up sales, promotions, giveaways, and a consultant you’ll love!