Remember when you were little, and back-to-school shopping was the absolute best thing about a new school year? Well now the promise of getting out of your parents’ house and seeing your college friends is the best part, but back to school shopping is still one of the hallmarks of heading back to college. And it’s even more fun now that we get to pick out bedding and decorations in addition to pencils and notebooks!
Last week, we took a little shopping trip to stock up on some of the must-have items for heading to college that are available at Target. Take a look at our shopping experience!
Our School Supplies
We had such a blast running around Target and scored some amazing deals on our favorite back-to-school supplies. The Back to School section of the store had some seriously adorable school supplies, like the Two-Pocket Folder with Pink Bicycles (similar here $1.49 at Target) and Greenroom Metallic Pattern Notebook ($3.99 at Target in-store only) that we picked up.
We also grabbed some PaperMate InkJoy Ballpoint Retractable Pens ($3.79 at Target, in-store only) in an array of bright colors for spicing up the monotonous task of note taking! These pens would also pair beautifully with the adorable and chic CARLTON Thank You Cards ($4.99 for a pack of 10 at Target, in-store only) we picked up. From intramural coaches to chemistry tutors to your career adviser, you never know when you’ll need a thank you card, and these were just too cute to pass up.
Our Dorm Décor
For our dorm room, we fell in love with this super pretty Room Essentials Botanical Toss Pillow in Purple ($16.99 at Target) because it perfectly matches our bedding and is super comfy for lounging or watching movies.
Since mom and dad won’t be around to nag you about cleaning your room, it’s important to have cleaning supplies on hand to make sure you’re not living (and eating!) in a dirty space. We grabbed these Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, 35ct in Fresh Scent ($2.36 at Target) because they’re super easy to use and they clean up everything from makeup to coffee to the Easy Mac that exploded in your microwave.
Another dorm essential is a lip balm to keep by your bed to swipe on every morning and night. Burt’s Bees was the obvious choice, and we thought the Burt’s Bees Hydrating Lip Balm with Coconut and Pear (similar here$2.99 at Target) sounded amazing.
Our Holy Grail
Speaking of things to have by your bed, is there anything worse than waking up in the middle of the night, being super thirsty and having to drag yourself out of bed, put on your robe and slippers and head down the hall for a glass of water? No, no there is not. Which is why we made a beeline for the Brita Space Saver System ($19.99 at Target) in this chic turquoise color.
If you’re not familiar with the feat of engineering that is the Brita filtration pitcher, it’s basically a compact pitcher that can hold up to six cups of water and can fit right into your mini dorm fridge with plenty of room to spare for your Red Bull and dining hall leftovers. The Brita Space Saver has a lifetime of up to 40 gallons, but if you’re worried that the filter needs to be changed, all you have to do is look at the pitcher, because it has an electronic filter-change indicator that will tell you when it’s time to get a new one. Genius, right?
The main attraction of the Brita Space Saver is that it filters your water, meaning that you can fill up your pitcher right from your bathroom sink and not have to worry about any chemicals or weird tastes. The Brita reduces impurities as well as the taste and odor of chlorine in your tap water, making your water taste better and be better for you. Plus, having a pitcher of filtered water in your room means you can easily make tea or coffee in your Keurig without having to worry about bacteria or the hassle of bringing your Keurig over to the sink to fill it.
You all know how important it is to drink enough water, but the truth is that we’re often just too lazy about it. But having a pitcher full of cold, clean water right in your dorm room is about as easy as it gets, so no more excuses, right collegietes?
If you’re serious about drinking more water, cutting down on waste (and costs!) from plastic bottles and generally living a healthier life, then we definitely recommend picking up a Brita Hard-Sided 23.7 Oz. Bottle ($13.99 at Target). We got ours in this very Her Campus-appropriate pink color, and we’re in love. These bottles have a built-in filter so you can have fresh, clean water no matter where you are, whether you’re running to class, headed to practice or just hanging with friends.
Shopping for college can be overwhelming, but if you know what you can spare and what you can’t live without, the process can be tons of fun and score you some amazing school supplies to make you the most prepared collegiette on campus. And to help you with your BTS shopping, we're giving away a $25 gift card to Target, so enter below! Happy shopping!
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