My Tech Everyday Carry (Student Edition)

Adi Kakarla

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Today is my first day of college (technically it’s a summer program, but it’s basically the same thing).

I have an orientation to attend right now, so I’ll head straight to the stuff you’re here for — this is what I’m carrying in my tech-y backpack as a student in 2023:

I’m using the Herschel Pop Quiz backpack ($95).

It’s the most expensive backpack I’ve ever owned. I think it’s worth it though.

I tested out an older (and cheaper) version of the backpack from Amazon, and I genuinely loved it. It only had one problem: no water bottle holder.

Context: my campus is massive. Having no water bottle holder is a deal-breaker.

I loved every other aspect of the backpack though, so I decided the $95 for the new version would be worth it. Let’s see how it goes 🤞

The iPad I use is the 2020 12.9” iPad Pro.

I also use a pretty beat-up Magic Keyboard and an Apple Pencil.

This is the latest addition to my backpack (well, other than the backpack itself).

I’ve been using a new 15” MacBook Air for a couple weeks now, and it feels… different.

For context, I’ve been iPad-only for the past 3ish years. The only reason I bought the MacBook is because I’ll be studying data science at my university.

I’ll be (hopefully) writing a few MacBook vs. iPad posts soon. Keep an eye out 👀

I’m currently using the second-gen AirPods Pros.

In my opinion, they’re the perfect “college” headphones — small, sleek, and noise-cancelling.

I’m using this power bank from Amazon.

Buying it last year was the smartest decision of my life. It has come in clutch in so many instances (flights, travel, camping, etc.)

At 25,000 mAh capacity, it’s a beast of a power bank.

It’s also pretty heavy (1 pound or 0.45 kg for my non-American friends).

That being said, its massive capacity means I never have to worry about forgetting to charge my stuff. To me, that’s a benefit that’s worth it.

I’ve ran this blog for nearly 2 years, but today’s a big day — it’s my first sponsored post.

You probably don’t care, but just hear me out:

Concepts is a genuinely cool “unlimited canvas” note-taking app I’ve used for years (if you don’t believe me, check my post history). I’ve used it to take notes, brainstorm ideas, and even design science fair projects.

It’s one of the few apps I recommend for every iPad user out there, and I genuinely believe this (again, check my post history if you wanna verify this claim).

Concepts has been kind enough to offer you a free 30-day trial. And no, you don’t have to enter your credit card information.

Back to the post ⬇️

I bought this dongle a while ago and it has everything I need:

This dongle just happened to be the first one I found that matched my criteria and was in my budget.

If you’re looking for a dongle, don’t worry about the company/aesthetics. Just make sure it has every port you might possibly need.

I’ll be taking this dual drive in case I need to transfer files.

I’ve only used it two or three times, but it’s nice to have something that can work with both USB-C and USB-A.

It may not be super useful, but it’s so tiny that I might as well keep it in case I need it.

I’m bringing the standard cables for my devices:

The only “special” accessary I’m bringing is a USB-C cable extender. Its one of the few accessories that I genuinely think is a must-have — it always comes in clutch.

Not sure if this counts as tech, but I’m bringing a Ti-84 calculator.

This is another new addition.

From what I’ve heard, my university has pretty hard water (not sure what this means, but it doesn’t sound like a good thing).

This water bottle is one of those water bottles with a filter. Brita seems like a pretty reputable company for water filters, so I just bought one of their bottles.

This is just pens, pencils, and other random school stuff.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” — Nelson Mandela

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