10 Products This SLP-to-be Can't Live Without

This past year and a few months of graduate school has had some real HIGH highs and some really LOW lows.  We've all been there right?   I wanted to share with you some ways I stayed organized, on track, and SANE this year during school.  I'm sure that they will apply to real life, too!  There are some affiliate links for your convenience.

1. A PLANNER!

I know this is totally a Type-A thing to say, but I would probably be lost without my planner.  I've tried using Google Calendar by itself, and it just doesn't work.  I do use it, because it'll send me reminders for when I don't have my planner in front of me!

Here's a sneak peak into mine. Not too full yet, since school doesn't start until next week.

2.   Cleaning Wipes

I don't necessarily consider myself a germ-a-phob, but I do like to keep my hands and the surfaces that I'm working on clean.  I'm pretty sure using these has prevented me from getting sick multiple times.  Our clinic has them all over the place, but I also have my own, just in case we run out.  This is NOT a substitute for washing your hands, though.

3. Colored Pens

As you can see in my planner, I have everything color-coded.  For the most part in my planner, Blue=class, Green=fun/personal life, Pink=blog, Orange=exercise.

4. Binders

Being Type-A and all, I had to have everything organized by class.  How did I do it? Binders galore.  You should see my shelves.....It's BAD.  Except that everything is organized.

5.  A Keurig

I told myself for a long time that I would never become a coffee drinker.  I would drink water and stay awake that way.  Then finals week happened, and I needed caffeine...I caved and bought a Keurig.  I admit it was a TOTAL impulse buy for me, but it was so worth it.  I come from a family of coffee and tea drinkers anyway, so having one around while I have company is not necessarily a bad thing.

By the way- I'm still not a coffee drinker.  I have coffee with my creamer instead of creamer with my coffee, if you know what I mean.

6.  Good Books

One of the last things I usually want to do is read because we already have to read SO much for school.  However, I've learned that taking even just a few minutes at the end of the day (or at the beginning) can make a huge difference for me.   I just recently finished Gone Girl, and Cold Tangerines has always been a favorite of mine (each chapter is a quick little story with a little lesson).

7.  Head Phones

This may seem like a funny thing that I can't live without, but I really can't live without them.  I know they are terrible for your hearing, so I try and keep the volume as low as I can while I use them.  I use them while running or working out in the gym, walking to class, or when I'm at school in our student lounge.  It's not that I'm trying to be anti-social, it just helps me zone out what's happening around me and focus on the task at hand- be it running 5 miles or finishing a paper.

8. Fresh Flowers

Something about fresh flowers in the apartment just brightens it up.  I also live in a place with white walls, so it helps bring a little color in.  I don't know what it is about flowers, but they just make me happy! I discovered that Trader Joes actually sells fresh flowers for a fairly cheap price.  You can get some bouquets for $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99!! Let me tell you, the $9.99 bouquets are HUGE.  I'm so impressed.  They're always so beautiful, too!

9.  A Memory Foam Pillow

A good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for yourself in grad school (and the real world!).  This pillow has saved me from having really bad neck pain.  I rarely wake up with a kink in my neck or a sore back (just from my pillows).  I love it so much that I generally take it with me when I travel home, even though we have a million pillows.

10.  Meal Shakes

For some reason, my school thinks it's a good idea to schedule classes over the dinner hour.  It's quite annoying and makes it really difficult to plan meals and when to eat.  I decided that I needed a fast and easy solution for those nights.  Meal shakes have been that option for me, since they fill me up enough so that I just need a little snack when I get home from class.  It's not necessarily something I would recommend all the time, but it works for those nights.  There are a lot of different companies out there for this, so I won't post a specific picture. I personally use Shaklee.


What are some products you can't live without???