College offers a litany of stressful encounters, and coming in with the right equipment to get the year started is crucial.

Professors immediately start assigning work, overdue papers start piling up and the jam-packed schedule of college takes its toll as early as the first week.

If not properly armed to fight off the pressures of college, students might find themselves defenseless.

First, look for a quality book bag, an incredible product that people might take for granted.

Backpacks help distribute the weight of your objects evenly onto your shoulders and back, and they’re perfect for organization, comfort and serving as a source of style.

Along the lines of technological requirements, students need to connect to the internet via an ocean of gizmos and gadgets.

A laptop is a must in college; while most schools have computer labs and libraries, there is nothing like being able to autofill all of your passwords and emails. The convenience of owning a laptop outweighs potentially steep prices by far.

Also consider a tablet. While a laptop is a more powerful, larger version of a tablet, using tablets for something like storing electronic texts can save you money and some space in your backpack.

Beyond obvious necessities like a basic computer or tablet, some college students might find the more luxurious side of technology to be a necessity.

For instance, consider how accessible such a broad array of music is today. That music can help students relax or keep them occupied while taking a study break, walking to class or waiting for lecture halls to open.

Given the importance of music, portable speakers are a nice luxury that most college students will appreciate.

Having a reliable room-filling speaker is great for hosting friends, and many high-quality speakers are now luckily quite inexpensive.

Since we’ve covered what you do need in college, what about things that might be unnecessary?

Unless you’re a gamer, you don’t need a television. With a laptop or tablet, you now have easy access to TV shows, movies and gaming.

Printers may also be unnecessary. Very few professors require you to turn in physical copies of papers, and most computer labs have printers that let students print off assignments for a few cents a page.

Finally, I’d argue that cookware may not be needed. How so?

First: If you live on campus, you have a meal plan. Why cook?

But for older students, those living off campus shouldn’t buy a huge kitchen collection, either.

Realistically, how well can the normal college students cook? Here’s a hint: My cooking consists of a microwave, ramen or mac and cheese and a bowl.

Preparation, much like anything else, is key. So as we head into the third week of classes, be aware of everything you might need to get through this semester and avoid the extra stuff that’ll get in the way.

Kyle Fitch is a columnist, contact him at [email protected].