As I look ahead to my final year of my undergraduate degree, I once again get excited about the school supplies that come with back-to-school season. Personally, I don’t think I’ll be buying anything this year. After purchasing a bulk set of notebooks last semester, I think I’m set for the fall. But as the anticipation grows and I inevitably reflect, I realize that there are quite a few things I didn’t think I needed when I started college. Things that I can’t imagine going into this next semester without. As such, I figured its probably a good time to share what school supplies I use for college. Hopefully, this will help make things easier for anyone starting off!
If you’re a current undergrad student or recent grad, I’d love for you to check out this list and let me know if there are there any school supplies you didn’t expect to need when you started your degree! Just leave a comment at the end of this post!
This blog post shares everyday school supplies for college students.
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To shop any of the items listed, you can click on the image of the item itself, the hyperlinked text in the item description, or wait until the end of the post, where there will be a cumulative list of all items with current prices on Amazon!
Before we get started…
Before we get started I feel that it is important to share that I am studying economics. There are many tools I have come to use that could be helpful across a few disciplines, but are more specific to economics and other fields that utilize applied mathematics and physics. Do not let this dissuade you from reading further, though, because much of this list could be helpful to any student!
Let’s begin!
Notebooks
I love Five Star notebooks. The paper quality is, from what I’ve seen, the best, and the covers are sturdy so your notes are protected. I started using Five Star Graphing notebooks in 8th grade for my math classes and I’ve never looked back. Any math-heavy course, you’ll find me with a graph paper notebook. They make it so much easier to tell when you make a mistake, to follow your work, and to interpret graphs in my opinion that I can’t see why anyone would use anything else!
Pens and Pencils
In any math-heavy course, you’ll see me using a pencil without a doubt. But if there’s a lot of writing for more humanities-based or theory courses, I’ll be using a pen. I always carry both because some exams require a pencil and others require a pen and I don’t want to be caught without one. Mechanical pencils have been my preference as of late when it comes to class because I don’t have to worry about needing a sharpener (though my pencil of choice is the Black Dixon Ticonderoga which I will use when working in my room). Typically I bring a few pens I like from home with me back to campus and use them until they run out of ink, and slowly collect pens throu
Erasers
Specifically Pentel Hi-Polymer Block Erasers – they’re simply the best. Trust me, I was one of those kids who was obsessed with school supplies and would spend as much of my allowance as my parents would let me at the school store buying erasers. These are the only erasers I’ll reach for when I need to redraw a graph, with confidence that my marks will be completely gone and I won’t tear my paper or have any streaks.
Once you try one of these you’ll be hooked too!
Mini Stapler
My little stapler has been incredibly useful in college and I never would have expected it to be so important! You can’t always rely on a stapler being present when you need it, or actually having staples in it. I also love that this stapler in particular comes with 1000 staples so you don’t have to worry about running out anytime soon! Having a stapler has literally saved my grade more than once when papers were only to be accepted if stapled – and it’s saved my classmates grades too. When your paper is worth 20% or more of your final grade, having one of these in your backpack is the way to go.
Mini Single Hole Punch
I bought my single hole punch from Target along with my stapler, and though I could find the same stapler on Amazon, the single hole punch is nowhere to be found! It was mini and shaped similarly to a stapler and if it wasn’t packed away with all of my stuff from school I would insert a photo. If you happen to stumble upon a Swingline mini single hole punch, I highly recommend picking it up!
Geometry Tool Set
This is one of those economics specific items. My professor for my international trade class recommended a few tools to make complex drawings easier. I couldn’t find a French Curve when I picked up my tools, which my professor had strongly recommended, however, I did pick up a set with a couple of triangles which made things so much easier! I get good use from my protractor and compass as well. This kit is the most similar to the one I have!
There are also kits like the one on the right in the image above that come with just the basics. These are the same tools I use again but the kit just sits with less
Fine Tip Colored Pens/Felt Tip Markers
If you’re drawing diagrams or complex graphs, colors can be really helpful in making distinctions between lines, especially when it comes time to go back through your notes to study! Personally, I’m a fan of Stabilo Fineliners as
Calculator
If you’re studying a STEM field, or even just taking a few math classes in college, you’re probably going to need a calculator. I brought my trusty TI-84 Plus Silver Edition that I’ve used since sixth grade with me to college but soon learned that this calculator would be considered too powerful for some exams. Yes, there are exams where you may not be allowed a graphing calculator. As a result, I actually needed (and used) both a TI-84 Plus and a TI-30XS.
The TI-30XS comes in a few colors. It’s a simple scientific calculator.
As far as graphing calculators go, the TI-84 Plus is standard. If you’re buying a new calculator, I recommend the TI-84 Plus. Don’t sweat it if you already have a TI-83 though, those will still get the job done.
Index Cards
Index cards are one of those things that when you need them, you tend to need a lot of them. I like to use them as bookmarks in my textbooks and for writing down little bits of information while studying. I also found them to be great for keeping lists of topics for exams or formulas I need to reference while doing work so I’m not constantly flipping through my notes or textbook!
Sticky Notes
I put sticky notes all over the place. To mark pages in textbooks, to put a reminder next to my door so I see it before I leave my room, to take notes during phone calls, for miscellaneous thoughts, the list goes on. Sticky notes are great, and every college student could stand to have at least a couple of colors.
These sticky notes are extra sticky, so they won’t fall off the walls, and they’re made from recycled materials!
Scissors
This is something that I’ve come to notice a lot of students forget or don’t think they’ll need, but scissors are just one of those things that you’re going to want to have in college. For everything from opening packages to making a poster to cutting out paper snowflakes in the winter – scissors are a must-have school supply!
Tape
Along with scissors,
Highlighters
Highlighters are something I’ve learned are helpful to have on hand, whether to help with my color coding in my notes or mark off completed items on my to-do list without scratching them out so I can’t read what I’ve done. They’re also really helpful in marking important sections of text, making it easy to refer back to them!
I had been sent some of the Crayola TakeNote highlighter pens to try out when they launched, and I’m a fan. Highlighter on one end, fine point marker pen on the other? Yes, please! I also use the BIC Brite Liner highlighters, which I’ve had for years.
And that’s it for my everyday college school supplies!
Were there any that surprised you? Any you think I missed? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Good luck in the new semester!
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