Whether you’re an incoming freshman or returning to dorm life, picking the right stuff for your higher education ambitions can be tough. On one hand, you want to have quality gear that won’t let you down by midterms. On the other, the inevitability of crushing debt looms in the years to come—so you want to be frugal wherever possible.
This guide is filled with all the stuff you might need: an affordable (but capable) laptop, a versatile backpack, coffee gear, audio gadgets, and fun tech to make dorm life more livable. You don’t need every single item in this list, so spend only where you think is necessary.
Updated August 2023: We’ve added new products for the new school year.
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