I never thought I'd post something like this, but I figured it would be interesting as I don't see many of these posts aimed at art students. I'm not saying that I bring anything special with me but we're all naturally curious and if you're a fellow creative writing student, then this might give you some idea of what you might need on a day to day basis.
I thought before I actually got into what I bring with me, I'd talk about the bag I take with me. I'm very basic and I have a Kanken backpack. I wanted to invest in a good quality backpack after going through so many in the past few years. It's a really good size and has everything I could need in a backpack. I like that it has a bulky main pocket, with a small one on the front and two side pockets. I don't really use the mini front pocket, but I use the main one and one of the side pockets. Yes, they are pricey but I wanted a quality backpack that I can use for many years to come. I got mine in a black colour as it goes with everything.
One thing I cannot leave the house without are my many notebooks. I usually carry two types of notebooks with me on a typical day. Firstly, I have my Moleskin exercise books. I stumbled across these last summer and I haven't gone back since. They're the best quality notebooks I've ever had and are affordable. You can get a pack of three for around £9-£13, which I think is pretty decent. I use these notebooks for all of my lectures. This year, I have already filled one and am on my second. They have around 120 pages, the last 20 or so you can pull out. They also have a pocket thing at the back which is really handy for putting in loose sheets that I need to stick in. I then also bring an old A4 notebook with me. This is for making rough notes. There are days when this is a bit excessive, but sometimes I use it to lean on things. I know that if I didn't carry around these notebooks, I wouldn't get half the amount of work done that I do.
Next, I always bring my pencil case. I actually have one that I got in my first ever bookish subscription box, back in February 2016. It's a good size and it looks nice. I carry a decent amount of pens and highlighters with me. This is probably really nerdy but I recently bought a new favourite pen and it is so nice to write with. My handwriting looks great and my notes also look great. The only thing I don't like is that if I highlight stuff, it smudges. A pencil case is a uni essential so I'd say it's worth finding one you like and that it carries everything you need.
Something I cannot live without is my trusty Harry Potter Planner. I don't know how long I coped without it. I know I wouldn't get anything done if I didn't write it down. I am not a huge fan of digital calendars and planners, so this is perfect for me. I have a whole blog post about how I use my planner, if you are interested in reading it, click here.
As a Creative Writing student, I always have some book on me. I mostly have books that I have to read for my course, but occasionally I'll bring a book that I want to read. It does mean that my bag does get pretty heavy as I carry a lot of big books sadly, but I'm sat down for most of the day, so it's not too bad.
I also bring lunch with me to uni as it's cheaper than buying something from one of the many cafes on campus. I never leave home without my water bottle. I've been making an effort to drink more water and I'm finding that I am actually drinking way more than I was over the summer.
This technically doesn't go in my bag as it doesn't fit, but I also usually bring a folder. I have one that I bought while I was on holiday in Bruges for 2 euros. I really like it, but it would be so much better if it fitted in my bag. I get a lot of handouts to read and it's really useful to have somewhere to put them during the day.
Carenza x
