The school year is here, which means it’s time to purchase the stereotypical pencils, erasers, paper, etc. You know, all the boring stuff. However, apart from the items which are about as exciting as watching paint dry to shop for, there are some more obscure items you won’t realize you need, until, well…. you need them.

Portable Bluetooth Speaker

A post-secondary necessity. Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than having people over with nothing playing in the background. There’s also nothing worse than the music slowly drifting away as you have to relocate to another room or area of your apartment. Que the portable Bluetooth speaker. Need we say more?

Coffee Machine

A two-dollar coffee each day may not seem like a lot. But when you buy a two-dollar coffee every day for 8 months, it adds up. This is where a coffee machine comes in handy. Brew your coffee in the morning, and save on the unneeded expense. Instead, use the money you save on coffee to renew your lease at Rez-One for the following school year.

Reusable Travel Mug

Whether it's your first year in Waterloo or your last, it never surprises how cold it can get. Save yourself on those chilly winter morning by bringing coffee, tea or even hot chocolate to class for a nice morning warm-up. As a bonus, Starbucks even offers a drink discount when you bring your own mug. It's a win, win!

A Deck Of Cards

Might seem simple, but you never know when we might have a power outage or you're looking for something different to do with your roommates on a Friday night. Helpful Hint: Everyone come bringing a different game they can teach the group, it's amazing how many different ways you can play with a deck of card. Not to mention a couple of games involving some alcoholic beverages, if you're of age of course.

Mini Fridge/Freezer 

What probably seems incredibly boring right now, will end up saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Instead of going out and getting groceries each week, and spending a small fortune, buy a mini fridge or freezer for your room and buy in bulk. Your freezer will allow you to keep frozen meals, chicken, and vegetables which would have otherwise needed to be thrown out. The result is an ugly freezer in your room, but hundreds of extra dollars in your pocket.

Headphones/Earbuds 

They're small and often forgotten, but quite possibly the most important accessory you need. Whether it's a cold winter walk to school or a long bus ride for groceries, they always come in handy. Maybe you can study with music, or just want to jam out on the treadmill, we can't stress enough how important a good pair of earbuds or headphones are.