Your Paris essentials🥇🧳

Let’s talk about essentials. I’m finishing up stuffing Paris Olympics essentials into my bags ahead of my flight tonight: snacks, hydration packs, sun screen, portable chargers, converters, playing cards, meds et al. My packing list was so long it made me feel like a Real Housewife on Bravo taking six roller suitcases on a four-day cast trip. Alas, I am at heart an efficient but thorough packer and have but one checked bag.

I was talking to my mom (hi, mom!) on FaceTime over the weekend about what I’m packing, my essentials. She joked it was good she started sending me to Pat Summitt's Tennessee Lady Vols basketball camp at 9 years old because it taught me how to prepare for a big trip − and identify my essentials. "You had to take care of your own (expletive)," she said as we both laughed.

So once the Paris Games start, I’ll give you these three essentials at the very top of the newsletter every morning, before we get into behind-the-scenes, life-on-the-ground stuff:

• What happened yesterday.
• What’s happening today.
• The latest medal count.

To tide you over until Friday, when this newsletter starts hitting your inbox every morning through the Closing Ceremony, here are some other essentials you should flip through.

Your Simone Biles essentials.

• What's it like to train with Simone Biles every day? We asked her teammates.
• How Simone Biles kicked down the door for Team USA Olympians to discuss mental health.
• Simone Biles' triple double and Yurchenko double pike, explained.
• Everything you need to know about Simone Biles, including how many medals she’s won.

Your how to watch essentials.

• Inside NBC's extravagant plans to bring you Paris Olympics coverage from *every* angle.
• How NBC's Mike Tirico prepares for Paris Olympics broadcasts.
• Meet NBC's Olympic gymnastics broadcaster who will help you understand Simone Biles’ moves.
• 6 tips for how to watch and stream the Paris Olympics and get the most out of Peacock.
• Your favorite Olympic swimming broadcasters are back for Paris Games.

Your Team USA essentials.

• Meet Team USA and all 592 Americans headed to Paris.
• Watch: U.S. Olympians, including star hooper A’ja Wilson, share what music is on their playlists. Save the playlist!
• Rocket scientist. Engineer. Mogul. Meet 10 US Olympians with super impressive résumés.
• What's the financial toll for Team USA Olympians? We asked athletes how they make ends meet.
• How much money the U.S. and other countries are paying Olympic medalists at the Paris Games.
• Watch: U.S. Olympians share the importance of openly discussing their mental health.