Take Note from the Boy Scouts: Be Prepared!

     A phrase I grew up with: Be Prepared. If you are unfamiliar, these two simple words are the Boy Scout motto and have been since 1910, when the national organization was founded. You may be wondering why I know this, and I swear there is a reason. My brother has been involved in Boy Scouts his whole life, and my father and grandfather were both involved in Scouts when they were younger. In fact, my father is still involved with the organization, as he is currently the troop leader for my brother's troop. With a long line of Boy Scouts in the family, it is safe to say that we are always prepared. This was instilled in me from such a young age, and it has become an important phrase in my day-to-day life.

    Within my group of friends, it is common for me to be named as the "mom" of the group. This is not just because I am protective of my friends, but also because of my tendency to always have anything anyone could ever need at all times. This reputation has expanded beyond my group of friends, and I often have people who I do not know personally come up to me and ask for something that I am almost certain to have. So now you may be asking yourself, "What DO you have in your bag?", and you're in luck because I am willing to share my secrets on what to keep in the perfect college survival kit.

    As you can see, I keep a little bit of everything with me at all times. Believe it or not, this all fits in a small zipper bag that I can fit into any purse or bag, even my Lululemon Belt Bags. I always carry two to four different lip products because I hate having dry lips. I carry medication for any ailment a person may have. Do you need 15 Band-Aids? You're in luck because I have both large and small! The mini-Vaseline is super helpful for dry skin, especially after walking to class in the winter. The lens cleaning wipes are useful not just for glasses, but for screens and mirrors as well. The toothbrush and toothpaste are incredibly handy after Mac lunch, and the gum works in a pinch.

    In addition to all of these items, I always carry snacks with me. My class schedule overlaps with lunchtime and sometimes I just need a few bites of something to get me through class. My favorite snacks to keep in my bag are fruit snacks (Welch's), white chocolate macadamia nut Cliff Bars, and mini bags of Cheez-Itz. I also always have my Yeti water bottle with me because I am too often dehydrated.

    Although this may seem extreme to most people, I could not imagine leaving my room without these things. All these things are not used daily, but they come in handy when I (or someone else) need them most. I, just like the Boy Scouts, am always prepared!