In today’s higher education landscape, roughly 73% of U.S. undergraduate students are considered nontraditional by at least one characteristic. These include being 25 years old or older, working full time or having dependents, among others. In fact, The New Majority Learner Report 2025 indicates that 40% of undergrads are older than 22 and 37% are over 25. Many of them mailto:https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2025/06/25/nontraditional-students-become-the-new-college-majority-report-finds/are also working, raising families and managing busy schedules and tight budgets while pursuing their dreams of earning a college degree.
If it’s been a while since you’ve been in the classroom, but you’ve finally made the leap to enroll for an upcoming semester at the University of Louisville, let us help you save a few of your hard-earned dollars while you shop for school supplies. Sure, there are a lot of things you might be excited to buy for the nostalgia of it all (go ahead, grab that Lisa Frank folder if it makes you happy). But these days, you probably need less than you think. Below, find a manageable list of items you’ll want to add to cart.
Hydration and caffeination
Save the planet. Save your money. Skip the single-serving plastic water bottle and long lines at the campus coffee shops and invest in both a refillable water bottle and hot/cold thermos for your seasonal energy source of choice to bring from home.
School supplies
Whether you’re 8 or 38, browsing store aisles in late summer for fun new school supplies is one of life’s simplest pleasures (unless you’re a parent managing your child’s supply list, in which case it’s fifty-fifty). However, you won’t need most of what you may wish to buy. Fun erasers, color-coded folders and Trapper Keepers are mostly out (we know, that last one stings). But sturdy backpacks, multiple writing utensils and colorful highlighters – all useful for physical textbooks – are still in. We’ll even make an argument to toss a couple of notebooks into your basket, but that all depends on your notetaking strategy. Which leads us to …
Laptop or tablet
Many college classes, both on-campus or online, have gone digital, with syllabi, course materials and assignments being housed within Blackboard (think of it as your university-provided Trapper Keeper for the digital age). A laptop (which you may already have – check!) will likely be your number one tool for tracking progress, accessing digital course materials, taking lecture notes and more. E-Ink tablets are additional gadgets you can use to save trees but still get that classic feeling of taking notes if you prefer putting pen to “paper.” Helpful tip: Make sure your device is charged and has the battery power to last an entire session. Desk space near electrical outlets during in-person classes can fill up quickly.
Sunscreen
One of the best parts of being an in-person student is getting to traverse campus every season and be part of the thriving energy that makes a university hum. But all that time walking around outdoors between classes means you should apply a layer of protection to keep your skin protected from the Kentucky sun. Whether traditional or nontraditional, the need for sunscreen is ageless.
Good shoes
Did we mention you’ll be doing a lot of walking? Depending on which courses you’re taking each semester, there’s a chance you may have to travel from one side of campus to the other in a short period of time. Even if you’ve carefully planned your courses to be in buildings near one another, class locations can change at the last minute. Be prepared with a pair of shoes that make you feel comfortable and confident, but also supported and ready to get in your 10,000 steps. Remember, your shoes aren’t just carrying you to your next class – they’re carrying you to the bolder future you’re working toward.
The online advantage
Through UofL Online, there are 70+ diverse degree offerings for undergraduates, graduate students and even doctoral students that can be completed fully to mostly online, at your own pace – ideal for the nontraditional student with daytime commitments like work or family. The bonus? Your school-supplies shopping list shrinks. Good shoes? You can attend class barefoot. Sunscreen? Not needed from the comfort of home. As an online student, your laptop or personal computer will be your Swiss Army knife. Just be sure to have a reliable pair of wired headphones or charged earbuds on hand to listen to lectures, especially if you enjoy studying at your favorite local coffee shop.
Still deciding whether starting or finishing your degree is right for you? Connect with UofL’s Office of Transfer and Adult Services to learn more about the admissions process or what financial aid and scholarships are available for nontraditional students.
