Published on September 9, 2020 by Holly Porter

As the new academic year approaches, it’s time to think about what to pack in your law school backpack. Here’s a couple of tips for attending your university law lectures prepared.

Lecture Handouts

Lecture handouts are a great way to prepare for your lectures and you would find these on your university online learning portal. Print them out using your university library card credit so you can scribble down notes during the lecture!

Notepad, Pen, Highlighters, Sticky Notes

A notepad and pen are essential to pack in your law school backpack. Although many universities now use ‘playback’, you can still jot down immediate thoughts for revision. Highlighters and sticky notes are most useful when reading through your notes or textbook at an afternoon/evening library session with friends!

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Laptop/Charger

If you are more of a typist and you can type at a fast pace, bringing a laptop is useful as it also lets you access learning materials and lecture slides online. In that case, having a charger or portable power bank is also necessary. A similar option would be bringing a tablet and a Bluetooth keyboard.

Recording Device

Alternatively, you can bring a recording device if you have one, or you can record the lecture or seminar/tutorial using your smartphone or laptop’s recording feature! This is particularly useful if you want to make a transcript of the lecture for revision purposes.

Headphones/Earphones

It’s been suggested that classical music can help our brains to concentrate, so try listening to music on your way to class might help get yourself into a studious mindset.

Water/Travel Mug

Don’t forget to bring a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated. When the brain is hydrated, the better we concentrate. You may also want to bring a travel mug and coffee sachet to keep yourself awake during rest breaks. Instant hot chocolate is also great for motivation and keeping you warm on cold days.

Snacks

Since law lectures are a few hours long, having snacks such as biscuits, mints and fruit during break time will keep you going for longer! They will also stop you from wanting to leave halfway through the lecture for food. It is also proven that eating dark chocolate will increase blood flow to the brain, therefore boosting your concentration and productivity.

Reusable Bag

A reusable bag is great for unexpected shopping at campus stores and farmers’ markets on campus.

Umbrella

Sometimes the weather is sunny before a lecture but cloudy, rainy and wet when you finish. Since the weather can be unpredictable, bring a small umbrella to avoid having to walk home in the rain!

Lunch Box

If you want to save money on eating out, prepare a lunch box, especially when you have a few classes scheduled for the same day. Just make sure it’s fully wrapped to avoid spilling sauce over your laptop or notes!

Words: Wing Shuen Ng

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