Well, I since returned to school a couple of years ago after many years off
I've gotten my studying down to a science. I'll list what I think are basics (for me anyway), but I won't list everything in my Mary Poppins Bag
Essentials:
3 ring binder (don't waste time w/notebooks, a lot of teachers hand out papers or power points and it's nice to keep them all together with my own notes)
index cards (I'm the queen of flash card studying)
small stapler
mechanical pencil (who wants to sharpen)
pen
highlighter
good eraser
calculator (if not taking a math class, then just a small one to figure out grades)
colored pencils (really help with graphs, visuals, mind maps-get the crayola erasable-the best!)
paper clips (just a couple)
rubber bands (just a couple)
iPod (to tune out other people when I'm trying to study)
Post-it notes (to mark things and pages)
wet wipes (those tables in the library can get gross with people drooling while they're sleeping-especially during cold season
-yuck!)
flash drive (in case you have extra time and want to work on that research paper in the school's computer lab)
Non-essentials:
plastic coffee mug (like a refillalbe mug-good to heat water in the microwave; I make tea & it helps me study better
)
tea bags, splenda
change (in case I need to use the vending machine)
lotion, chapstick, etc.