Contingency Pack – Being Ready for Anything at U of T

When you're late for class and rush out the door, the last thing you want is to be ill-prepared for the rest of the day. All you Doomsday Preppers out there, this one is for you. Here's what's in my bag to make sure I'm ready for almost anything (but an alien invasion) when on campus. Something to write on

Over the past year, I've accumulated one too many free notebooks from orientation to Clubs Fair to Street Fest. I also discovered that if you send emails to big companies out in world that they will happily send you free stickers (try at own risk). So what does one do with a wealth of notebooks and funky stickers? YOU DECORATE YOUR NOTEBOOKS! I currently have three MoveU Notebooks being used to jot down various thoughts:

1. A diary
2. Stuff regarding my degree
3. One for random ideas

I know it's 2018 but I feel that people are more likely to take offence when taking notes electronically, because hey, I could be on social media or watching alpaca videos for all you know. Taking notes on pen and paper shows that I am clearly present and focused on the task at hand. These lightweight pocket notebooks allow me to do just that. Lifelines

I know what you're thinking. This list is sounding a tad heavy (I would've weighed my bag + everything in it but I don't own a scale). What I carry usually depends on the day. If the forecast calls for a sunny day, I'll leave my umbrella at home. But some things are unpredictable - like when your battery dies. I either have my battery pack or charger on hand. Food Wise

    As Rachel mentioned in her post, I also now bring tea bags, lug a mug and cutlery set on campus to save time and money. I sometimes pack a granola bar or trail-mix for snacking between classes. TCard+ Speaking of money, your TCard gets you more than just 10% off groceries on student discount days (gasp). It's true. I like to think of it as my U of T Debit Card with a 10 cent discount on tea and bagels when I buy them on campus.

First-aid Kit "Hey Zoë, do you have a tissue?" "Hey Zoë, got a band-aid?" "Hey Zoë..."

Growing up, my dad was a MacGyver. You name it, he probably had it. I've fortunately inherited that and am proud to be called the mom of the group when out with friends and someone needs something. Carbon tablets for food poisoning? Yup, got those in spades. Extra hair tie? I gotchu, girl. That reminds me, I should probably restock on re-hydration salts.

Although this contingency kit probably won't save you from a zombie apocalypse, I hope it will save you on more than one occasion! What do you bring with you on a daily basis?