5 Essential Things You Need in Your Dental School Backpack
- adeadistrict2
- Jan 2, 2021
- 2 min read
1. Lighter
From Bunsen Burners to torches, nobody realizes that they need a lighter until it’s already too late. Hunting one down during a late night in the pre-clinic can almost seem impossible. Having one in your bag is a great way to stay ready for any spontaneous wax-ups, wax rims, denture teeth settings, and more!
2. Headphones
With remote learning, not all of us have an ideal study space or can be as productive as we’d like with the TV in the background, someone vacuuming, or noise from a busy road. In order to stay sane and focused, investing in a good pair of headphones is a must. One of my favorites are the Bose QC 35’s. These headphones have been a lifesaver both with remote learning and cramming right before an exam at school. The active noise cancelling is great at blocking out all the unwanted noises or just to feel more focused in with whatever task is at hand.
3. Planner
Dental school can be a place where you often get stretched way too thin. It seems more often than I’d like to admit that I completely forget about an event, important dates, or deadlines that are coming up. Investing in a yearly calendar is a great way to jot down any events, reminders, goals, or other notes and keep yourself organized with our crazy schedules. While some people may prefer an online calendars like Google Calendar, I’ve found a physical planner to be the option that works best for me. The one that I’ve been getting for each academic year is the Moleskine Planner. They come with a calendar grid, to-do lists, and are available in a bunch of different colors.
4. Granola Bars
Sometimes, a study session ends up going a lot later than you thought or you end up in the pre-clinic hours past when you promised yourself that you would leave. I’ve ended up accidentally skipping meals plenty of times while being busy with school work or between patients in the clinic. Having a few granola bars in my bag has been a great way to curb the hunger and get a quick snack in during the day. RXBars are a great option for a good snack. One of my favorite flavors is the Coconut Chocolate one.
5. Reusable Water Bottle
Nowadays with the pandemic, keeping a mask on all day makes it easy to forget to drink enough water. Having a big, reusable water bottle is a great way to always keep water with you and remind yourself to stay hydrated! It’s also a good way to measure how much water you’ve been drinking throughout the day. The first thing I end up doing nowadays after a long day in Clinic is chugging my water bottle on the drive back from school. The one that I’ve been using throughout dental school is the 32 oz HydroFlask.
This post was contributed by Jay Patel, Admissions Chair at ADEA COSRF District 2 and student at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine('22). Instagram: @_jay_patel_
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