6 Back-To-School Essentials For All Ages
6 Back-To-School Essentials For All Ages By: Iris Pena Summer is wrapping up and parents are scrambling to prepare for the back-to-school season. Whether you're sending your teen off to university or your little one to daycare — we got you covered with these must-have essentials for all ages. ASUS ROG Strix OLED MonitorThe ASUS ROG Strix OLED Monitor is the ultimate upgrade for your tech-savvy teen! With a wide range of connectivity options and compatibility that easily integrates with all their devices — they will love using this for tackling homework and fun gaming. Stop by any Best Buy Canada store or visit bestbuy.ca to pick up the ASUS ROG Strix OLED Monitor, along with all your back-t0-school essentials. Need some inspiration? Best Buy also has a back-to-school guide online to start the year with products sure to make the grade! Ninja Crispi Portable Air Fryer & Cooking SystemWill your teen be sharing a dorm kitchen with limited space? The Ninja Crispi Portable Air Fryer & Cooking System is the perfect cooking tool for them to bring along; an all-in-one system, designed to nest inside each other. All of the accessories are also dishwasher safe for easy clean up. From an air fryer pancake breakfast to frozen chicken fingers for dinner, the durable glassware can handle extreme temperature changes, fit for every meal! Check the Ninja Crispi off of your back to school checklist -- ninjakitchen.ca. Lodge Vest and Elba Jacket from Canada Goose Keep your teen warm and cozy this upcoming fall season with Canada Goose! This lightweight, windproof, and fully packable Lodge Vest features a drawcord at the hem to customize the fit. A perfect addition to your teen boy's cool outfits during those chilly walks to morning classes. For your teen girl, Canada Goose has a stylish option; a soft and ultra-light fabric Elba Jacket that features cinched cuffs, and a drawcord bubble. Shop online or in store at Canada Goose for a new back to school wardrobe. New La Vie En Rose BraThe new La Vie en Rose bra will have your teen girl stepping into the new school year with confidence and support. School activities require many movements. This lightly lined contour bra offers full-coverage with soft foam cups to keep her comfortable all school year long! Huggies Little Movers 360 Diaper PantsDrop your little one off at daycare with Huggies Little Movers 360 Diaper Pants. Effectively designed to keep
Walmart’s Back to School Must-Haves
Walmart's Back to School Must-HavesAs the joys of summer turn into moving out for post-secondary school, Walmart has all of the essentials to kick off your teen’s year right. From stationery and gadgets, to dorm room must-haves and apparel. Bring on the new school year with style and confidence! BIC Extra Smooth Pastel Mechanical Pencils with Erasers, 24-Count Pack ($7.98 CAD) BIC Extra Smooth Pastel Mechanical Pencils are the perfect addition to every student’s pencil case. Its smooth, dark writing with medium point (0.7 mm) is ideal for writing study and lecture notes. The high-quality lead provides smudge free writing for neat homework. Reebok Paige Backpack with Coin Pocket ($34.97 CAD)Lightweight, durable, and built to last, the Reebok Paige Backpack is ready for every school year. It features a spacious interior, exterior zip, mesh pockets, and a handy coin pocket. It is also water-resistant for a safe and secure place to hold your teen’s lunch, notebooks, technology and many other important school essentials. Jetstream Insulated Lunch Bag (7.88 CAD) This cute and stylish lunch bag features a roomy compartment to hold all the yummy snacks, insulated lining to keep food fresh, and a wipeable interior for easy clean up. Comes in 6 fun colours and designs — because every student deserves a little lunchtime cheer! Mainstays 2PK 24 oz S/S Chug Bottle Pink ($19.88 CAD) Hydration is one of the most important things students must maintain in order to function effectively throughout school. Mainstays' 2-pack stainless steel water bottles will keep your teen refreshed all year long. A durable, BPA-free bottle, leak-proof lid, and sweat-proof design. From the lecture room to the library, to work or the gym, this bottle will keep drinks cold for hours. Mainstays PL Strawberry Cushion (21.97 CAD) This adorable strawberry cushion offers a super soft and extra cozy touch to your teen’s new dorm! Made from durable fabric and 100% recycled polyester filling.BLACK + DECKER 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker in Stainless Steel (59.98 CAD)Coffee is a college student’s best friend, especially during those 8 am classes. The BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker allows your teen to make fresh coffee during early mornings or for late night study sessions. The convenient features are a gamechanger: Sneak-A-Cup Technology (fill your cup before brewing ends), the 12-Cup Duralife glass carafe, and a washable brew basket. Mainstays 2-Slice Toaster with 6 Shade Settings and Removable Crumb Tray ($9.98 CAD)Students can make delicious sandwiches for lunch with the Mainstays 2-slice
4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving Out for University
4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving Out for University By Iris PeñaLiving on your own for the first time while navigating university/college comes with newfound responsibility for teens. I remember the feeling of excitement to start a new life, but being unaware of the level of responsibility that lay ahead. As a fourth year student who moved three hours from home, there were many experiences I learned from. If your teen is heading off to university, support the transition with these helpful tips that would have saved me stress, money, and time.Embrace the NewIf your teen is shy, I understand how intimidating it can be to start school not knowing anyone. I was once in that position. The orientation week of activities to welcome and introduce first year students helped me get out of my shell. I even met a life-long friend! Encouraging your teen to attend their school’s orientation week can be extremely beneficial. Not only do they get a taste of campus life, but they can also meet friends before school begins. Talk to your teen about these benefits on how attending will slowly ease them into their new student life.Student Life BalanceIt’s normal to get sucked into the fast-paced world of school, but it's also important to remind your teen to maintain a balance of school and time for themselves. I learned the hard way that when your mind is stressed, you cannot focus properly. Helping your teen find a relaxing outlet to calm their minds from a busy day is essential for their mental health. A calm mind will increase their focus and performance in school. Advise them to fit some “me time” into their schedule - whether that’s in the morning before class, at the end of the day, or on weekends. After a full day, I went to yoga classes in the evening. Many schools offer free access to their gyms or fitness classes. Explore these options with your teen. Other calming outlets that I discovered are reading before bed instead of scrolling on the phone, baking sweet treats, and journaling to release thoughts and feelings kept inside. I also admire creative outlets, such as colouring with Coco Wyo books or art activities with friends. Cheap art supplies such as canvas, paint, and clay can be found at the Dollar Store. Some fun art de-stressors I tried were painting, scrapbooking, and making clay magnets.Easy
4 Grad Gift Ideas They’ll Love
4 Grad Gift Ideas They'll LoveWhether your son or daughter is graduating from high school or university/college, you'll want to mark and celebrate the occasion with the perfect gift! Since we’re all staying close to home these days, here are some great grad gift ideas that your teen and young adult will love and enjoy while at home.55-inch TCL Roku TV If there’s anything we’re all doing these days, it’s binge-watching our favourite shows. I think your graduate would be thrilled with their own 55-inch TCL Roku TV! It’s super easy to set up. You just create a Roku account and set it up with your Internet and then you have all the popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime, Disney+ and Crave, etc at your fingertips. It’s powered by the Roku OS system and actually provides access to more than 150,000 movies and TV shows from top free and paid channels, so it is easier than ever to binge-watch your favourites! And, if they’re night owls, they can watch without disturbing you because the Roku mobile app enables you to use private listening when you connect a pair of headphones to your phone! The picture itself is 4K so it’s very crisp and clear and makes binge-watching a picture-perfect experience! $400, roku.comHamilton Beach DrinkMasterWhile you’re watching your favourite show, why not enjoy a homemade milkshake?! This DrinkMaster Chrome Classic from Hamilton Beach has a cool, 50s diner vibe that I love and it whips up serious delicious drinks in no time flat. You can make your favourite milkshake, but you can also make smoothies or malts too! It has two speeds and comes with this 28-ounce mixing up, which gives you plenty of room without worrying about it spilling all over. And it looks neat on your counter too! $70, hamiltonbeach.ca10.2-inch iPadAn iPad is always a great gift, especially for graduates. This is the 10.2-inch iPad and it’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and family with Facetime and now, of course, Zoom. They can also use it to download their favourite apps, watch TV and movies, listen to music, and even use it as a portable tablet if they’re planning on continuing their studies in the fall. It’s great because you can easily add a Smart Keyboard, Apple Pencil and use your iCloud account to transfer work between a student’s Mac and iPhone. $429+, apple.caThe Knot Dr.