Issue date: 9/15/06 Section: Features

From the classroom to the dorm room most students come to college fully equipped with the essential supplies they need to survive throughout the school year. These supplies also come with a hefty price tag.

According to the National Retail Federation, college students across the world preparing for this up coming school year are going to spend a total of $10.5 billion on supplies. Today these supplies do not just consists of your everyday pencils and paper but also must-have, up-to-date, top-of-the-line technology.

Statistics have proven that an incoming freshman spends about $1200 on back-to-school supplies in addition to buying textbooks. Textbooks can cost a student well over $600 depending on the major. To avoid spending so much money on these "must haves" some students do research before whipping out that credit card.

When the end of August roles around and the shopping friendsie begins college students want to have the best that is on the market. Many companies know this and offer the consumer some great deals. When buying a MacBook computer ranging from $1099 to $2799 you get a rebate which you can use towards an iPod which rang from $69 to $329.

Many students also like to capture the many unforgettable moments that occur during the school year. Target stores have a variety of digital cameras that are in a college student's budget. Found at www.Target.com , Vivitar Vivicam 3945s digital 5mp is the cheapest digital camera priced at $179.99

Elana Kousisis, a junior elementary and early childhood education major, said, "I could not live without my daily day planner and highlighters."

Even with Macbooks and laptops students still use a good old fashioned pen and notebook while in class. Notebooks today are so cheap www.staples.com has two composition books for 79 cents.

Along with having all the essential writing necessities most college students like to decorate their dorm room. Decorating their dorm room makes living away from home more comfortable. This gives others a sense of who are by what posters you hang and what colors you like.

Posters are another "must have" when going to college. They can get a little pricey at times to. Cabrini College in the beginning of the year gives students the opportunity to poster shop. In Jazzmen's Café, Beyond the Walls sets up shop for students to buy from a very large selection of posters. Also, www.beyondthewalls.com when ordering online if you order over a certain amount of poster they will take a certain percentage off the final coast of the posters.

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