Hey hey, peeps--Madeline here. Welcome to perhaps the most practical and on-brand edition of Top 10s yet: the top 15 things that every commuter should keep in their car (shh, I know 15 ≠ 10, but there is too much wisdom to be imparted).
Honestly, you don't even need to be a commuter for these items to be relevant and helpful. Sure, commuters spend a more significant portion of time in their car, but we're all students with hectic, unpredictable schedules, so it'd be nice if our cars could be more prepared than we are half the time.
Well, without further ado, here's the list of lifesavers I wouldn't leave my driveway without:
15. Extra Masks -- #JustPandemicThings
The number of times I've walked out of my house, sat in my car, turned the car on, realized I didn't have a mask, turned my car off, got out of my car, and walked back into my house to acquire a mask is astonishing (and so is the length of this sentence). It *literally* took compiling this article for me to realize that the wiser version of me that lives in a parallel universe would keep a stash of extra masks in the glove-box of her car.
14. Hand Sanitizer
Even in a non-pandemic era, hand sanitizer is a good thing to keep in your car. After getting gasoline, when leaving a store, before eating some chicken McNuggies--there are many case scenarios when you should be cleansing your hands before getting back behind the wheel. Disclaimer: keep them somewhere dark/cool, like your glove-box or center console, because (fun fact) alcohol is flammable and the scorching summer sun will soon be upon us.
13. Sunglasses
Okay, perhaps this isn't as much of a necessity as other items on this list, but optometrists and masters of aesthetic would agree that sunglasses are very important. Henceforth, keep at least a couple pairs in your car, and rock them even when it's overcast out (no joke--there are still UV rays even when the sun is obscured, so protect 'dem eyeballs, buddy).
12. Folding Chair
Okay, don't judge me; this thing is only in my car because I never took it out after a picnic. But in the age of events being much safer when held outdoors, it's a good thing to keep in your trunk. It doesn't take up too much space, and who knows? Maybe you'll be driving someday and stumble upon a parade or a beach and be like, "Wow, I'm so glad I had my folding chair with me."
11. Umbrellas
Again, you might not use them much, but they're a good thing to keep handy. I like to keep both a large umbrella and a small umbrella in my car: large umbrellas are more sturdy and can stand up against rain of the torrential downpour variety, and small umbrellas are nice and handy to stick in your backpack for those days where it'll probably rain but not enough to warrant looking like Mary Poppins all day.
10. Quarters for Metered Parking
If you live in a city with metered parking, it's helpful to have some change lying around in your car. Keeping change in the cup-holder makes for wobbly beverages, so I wouldn't recommend that; however, an old Tylenol bottle or change purse works great for keeping some quarters in, and they can easily be hidden away in the glove-box or center console so coin collectors don't break in.
9. Towels/Blankets
Blankets and towels, especially old ones that otherwise would have been thrown away, are great to keep in your car for a number of circumstances. Don't want groceries rolling around on the smooth trunk floor? Need to bundle up a breakable object? Go plant shopping at Lurgan Greenhouse under the influence of Seth Pearson's latest blog post and want to protect your car from spilled flower dirt? Luckily, you're prepared with a myriad of towels and blankets.
8. Change of Clothes
As a commuter, I've gotten stranded on campus more than once as a result of inclement weather (we love a good fall semester Pennsylvania snowstorm). Luckily, I'd been able to crash at a friend's dorm, and thankfully, I had been prepared for such an incident by making sure I had spare clothes in my car. Even for non-commuters, there's always a chance spare clothes could be helpful--you might tear a garment, spill something on yourself, or be dressed for the wrong weather. My advice: keep at least one spare change of clothes and a jacket in the trunk of your car for those unpredictable kinds of days.
7. Bangin' CD Collection
It's a rough time when either your car is too old, or your Wi-Fi is too weak to play Spotify through Bluetooth, but CDs are wonderfully portable items that can easily save the day. It's nice to have a collection of tunes that are Wi-Fi independent, especially if you have a passenger who can swap them out for you while you drive.
6. Snackage
For long days on campus, commuters know the drill: a trusty stash of Pop-Tarts, granola bars, and water bottles must be ever-present in the car. Some days there just isn't time to sit down at a dining hall, and takeout food prices can add up pretty quickly when you have to buy something to-go for at least one meal a day. Having some (reasonably) healthy and no-refrigeration-needed sustenance can turn your car into the only mini mart you need visit.
5. Emergency Gas Money
Thankfully, we live in a region where there is almost always a gas station a few minutes away. However, better safe than sorry; it's a good idea to keep $5 or $10 in your car in case you need a few more gallons to get where you're going.
4. Phone Charger
Make it a habit, kiddos: plug your phone in every time you're driving. Long days on campus mean a drained phone can be quickly upon you, and if you're like me you might already be down to 80% when you leave the house in the morning (I can't get ready without Spotify playing, but it's a battery wrecker). Bonus points: keep a charger block in your car as well, in case you need to go indoors but your phone is still refueling.
3. First Aid Kit
I have slipped on an icy sidewalk on my way to class. I have pulled hangnails that decided they weren't going down without a fight. Friends have acquired miscellaneous cuts requiring band-aids. If you or your friends are as clumsy or injury-prone as I am, it is a very helpful thing to have a first aid kit in the trunk of your car. If simplicity appeals to you, get a portable first aid kit that comes with everything you might need when away from home--or, if you like to customize your medical supplies, get yourself a pencil case and stock it with band-aids, Neosporin, gauze, alcohol swabs, and paper tape.
2. Tote Bag Organizer
Whenever people see my car, there's a consistent reaction: "Wow, you keep your car so clean!" Despite the miscellaneous leaves, pebbles, and dust visible in all these close-up photos, I do indeed keep my car pretty clean. After all, living 40 minutes from Ship, I spend quite a lot of time traveling during the academic year. The secret sauce of my car organization is this: never getting out of my car without taking trash with me to throw away, shaking out the floor mats and vacuuming at least once or twice a year, and keeping all belongings organized into their respective compartments rather than lying around on the floors. In keeping with this, I like to keep the trunk of my car fairly clutter-free, and that is highly reliant on the existence of this tote bag organizer. I promise I'm not sponsored, but Thirty-One is an amazing brand that has great patterns and customization options, and the large utility totes are super durable. Mine holds a third of the things on this list with room to spare--it's an organizer's dream.
1. CupFone®
Again, not sponsored. But this little invention is a literal lifesaver. Gone are the days when I had to pick up my phone to look at GoogleMaps or change the Spotify track. This baby is universal for all cupholder sizes, all phone sizes, and all height preferences--everything is adjustable, right down to the swivel and tilt capability to make sure your phone is at the *optimal* angle for you or your passengers. Also, brilliant as they are, the makers of the CupFone® recently released a new model with a hand sanitizer holster. What more can a commuter seek to grace their car with the needed comforts and necessities of 2021?
How many of these things do you keep in your car? Do you have any other items you can't commute without? Let us know in the comments!
TL;DR - here are the top 15 things every commuter should keep in their car.
- CupFone®
- Tote Bag Organizer
- First Aid Kit
- Phone Charger
- Emergency Gas Money
- Snackage
- Bangin' CD Collection
- Change of Clothes
- Towels/Blankets
- Quarters for Metered Parking
- Umbrellas
- Folding Chair
- Sunglasses
- Hand Sanitizer
- Extra Masks -- #JustPandemicThings
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