I attended my first Super Bowl. Here are the best things that I packed for a busy week in Phoenix.

• I covered the Super Bowl in Phoenix for a week.
• I packed pretty well, with some odds and ends proving shockingly valuable to a successful trip.

Super Bowl LVII packed a lot of punch.

As a reporter covering the big game, I simply had to pack a lot.

I found that packing for a work trip is basically the same as packing for any other trip, but you have to bring your blazer. There were also a few other small tips and tricks I picked up that I will undoubtedly remember next time I cover the big game.

Successfully packing for the Super Bowl started with the bag I was packing.

I am usually a duffel bag guy. I do not own many nice things, at least when it comes to clothes, and I do not care all that much for how they keep their shape in the overhead bin during a cross-country flight. This is a me problem, and I need to grow up.

Luckily, ahead of my trip to Phoenix, I was able to borrow my mom's Away suitcase. It was a complete and total game-changer.

Packing everything I needed for the week in Phoenix in a standard duffel would have been impossible, and I will die before I check a bag on a flight. But the Away case I used had plenty of space, and allowed me to fit a week's worth of clothes without fuss.

I will be buying an Away suitcase in the next few days. One trip was all it took to make me a believer.

Regular travel items came up clutch.

Some of the most important items in my bag proved to be things I likely would have brought with me for any trip.

Sunglasses were a huge saving grace in the desert sun, and the few days I left them back at the hotel were absolutely brutal.

Headphones were also an important part of the trip. I brought three pairs of headphones with me — one over-ear, one in-ear, and one fully corded — and all played their part.

For flights and long rides, my over-ear headphones were cozy and noise-canceling. My in-ear headphones were great for reporting work on the go, as they had great sound and could easily fit in my pocket. And the corded headphones helped whenever the battery ran out on the other two pairs.

Speaking of battery, another key item was my backup charger. I always traveled with a battery pack of some sort, but decided to invest in a bulkier one ahead of the Super Bowl trip. It was the right move. I never had to worry about my phone running out of juice at the wrong time, despite the fact that I was using it basically all day everyday.

Further, having extra battery power is a great way to make new friends in a new city.

Small things like water and ibuprofen paid huge dividends.

Dehydration is always a struggle for me when traveling, so I was sure to have a water bottle with me at all times. Whenever the chance to fill it with better-than-average water presented itself, I would down the bottle and fill it back to the top.

During a week where I was largely failing to take care of myself, this was a grace.

Similarly, ibuprofen was a great friend to lean on in times of trouble. Sometimes it would be a headache or a sore back.

"You can't feel bad, you just took medicine," I would tell myself. This might not work for everyone, but for my lizard brain, it did the trick.

There is a lot of walking at the Super Bowl, so be ready.

It should come as no surprise that you will spend a lot of time on your feet during Super Bowl week. One of the best investments I made, along with my battery pack, was a new pair of shoes chosen for comfort first and foremost.

I also packed three more pairs of socks than I thought I would need, and wound up using all of them.

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.