This post is going to be way off brand but as education is a huge part of me (especially right now), I thought I’d go for it.
College Student School Supply Must-Haves
If there is one thing that has stayed true about me throughout my life, it is that I absolutely love to learn.
Learning and growing my mind has always been a huge passion of mine. So naturally, I love school.
I love everything about school, from note-taking, completing assignments, writing essays, studying, and taking tests. Learning and then applying knowledge brings me joy.
So do all of the tools that help you in the process.
Back to school shopping is my jam.
With 3 years of college under my belt, here are my college student school supply must-haves.
Conveniently, all of these supplies are affordable and can be purchased from Amazon! Making your back to school shopping a breeze!
Note-Taking Essentials
Now when you start college you have a few choices on how to take notes. You can either take notes on your laptop or take them on paper.
Personally, I can’t ditch the pen to paper feel when taking notes during a lecture. What I do is take notes on paper and then transfer my notes to my computer through summarization and recall techniques after the lecture.
This helps solidify what I learned by forcing myself to try to access concepts and use them directly or shortly after a lecture.
Only do I pull out my laptop to take notes if I am on a time crunch.
With that being said, that means I still use traditional writing utensils a lot. This means I still use pens, pencils, highlighters, paper, and all of those goodies. I just enjoy it.
(If you want to buy anything mentioned just click on the blue title text, it will take you straight to the amazon listing!)
Here are my favorites:
Highlighters
Zebra Highlighter Mildliner (5 Color Set)
If you pay attention at all to the study blog or bullet journal community, you know about these amazing highlighters. This set is pastel, and I love using them. I bought them 3 years ago and I still have them around for note taking, bullet journaling, and reading textbooks.
They have 2 sides to them which I find super useful. They have a thick side for highlight entire words and they have a thin side for underlining and highlighting smaller text.
Pens
Pilot FriXion Erasable Gel Pens
I love to write with pens but sometimes it can get a little fustrating when I write to fast and have a ton of scribbled out mistakes on my page. I love these pens because they write smoothly and the erase like magic. I promise they are nothing like those crappy erasable pens you’ve bought before. I’m serious, they seem to erase better than a pencil! These pens are definitely an investment but totally worth it if you love to write with pens. If you buy the ink refills, it definitely make them a bit more affordable too!
BIC Round Stic Grip Xtra Comfort Ballpoint Medium Point Pen
If you are anything like me, you use up a lot of pens and they end up lost at the end of the semester. I bought this pack of pens at the start of my spring 2018 semester and I still have at least 10 pens left. The trick is to buy in bulk, my friends! They are perfect for everyday note taking and miscellaneous writing because these pens write smoother than a criminal. Seriously, I’m picky about my pens but these never let me down. They also are super cheap so they are great for lending to friends in need (because let’s be real, you’ll probably never see that pen again).
Uni-ball Retractable Medium Point 12 Pack Gel Pens
These are by far my favorite pens ever. They write so smooth and so dark. I love using them for revision and study guide building. If you are pen fanatic, try these bad boys out.
Staedtler Triplus Color Fiber Tip Pens
I bought these 3 years ago and I still use them to this day. They are good for bullet journaling (my main way of planning and staying on top of things in school), art projects, etc.
Pencils
BIC Xtra-Life Mechanical Pencil (12 Pack)
Do yourself a favor, buy these pencils. They will not disappoint. They write smoothly, the lead doesn’t break on you, and the body is sturdy. Totally worth the money.
For when you need a #2 Pencil.
Whiteout
Get whiteout. If you are like me and prefer to write in pen, get whiteout for those moments where you mess up but you want to keep your paper looking as professional as possible. Just trust me.
Hole-Puncher
3-Hole Travel Size Paper Punch
While I pack a full-size stapler (see next item below), I don’t pack a full-size hole-puncher. These things aren’t light so travel size is the way to go. I do this so that I can quickly place papers in my binders or 3-prong folders quickly if need be. However, using page protectors in these things can solve this issue too. It never hurts to be prepared.
Stapler
Swingline Stapler + Staple Remover
You don’t know how many Teachers I had that wouldn’t accept assignments if they weren’t stapled (not paper clipped). Be prepared. Not only does this benefit you, but it could help a friend out in need! You can buy a mini stapler to carry around but I just used this light-weight full-sized one because I find full-size staplers jam and need to be refilled less often.
Sticky Notes
For annotating, taking notes, and reminding yourself of stuff. You need these in your college life!
Organization Essentials
Backpack
It holds everything and I mean everything. It has small nooks and crannies to store snacks in, it has 5 pockets to organize your things in. Trust me, with this backpack, if there is a will there is a way in terms of fitting things in it.
This backpack is comfortable! It evenly distributes the weight across your back, and the straps are the most comfortable straps you’ll find in a backpack.
Pouches
I use the zippered round pen case to store all of my pens and pencils. I’ve been using it since fall 2017 and I love it. It holds a handful (at least) of pens and pencils, and my white out container. I use the other pouches for storing things like my sticky notes and electronic cords.
Folders and Binders
2 Pocket Folder with Three-Prong Fasteners
I bought the white ones. I am a huge fan of using three-prong folders as a way to keep my classes organized. With a little bit of washi tape or permanent marker, you can customize each folder to represent each class. Three-prong folders are lighter than binders and take up space. This is a huge deal because backpack real-estate is worth more than you’d think.
Durable Binders with EZD Rings
If there is one thing that my Professors instilled in me, it is that you should save everything. All of your important assignments and syllabi. I organize all of my class work and syllabi after grading in these binders that I keep at home. I recommend a 3-inch binder especially for larger loose-leaf textbooks and heavily involved classes. This binder has been amazing due to its durability. The D rings that hold the papers help you flip easily through the binder. Something that is so important.
MISC
Electronics
I spend long hours on campus, which means my phone is on the verge of death towards the end of my day. Trust me, you’ll want to keep these on hand in case you forgot to charge your phone last night or in even just to help a friend out.
I bought these iPhone Charging Cables (6-Pack)
In case an outlet isn’t available, you’ll want one of these. They will save you in a pinch, especially during the busy hours on campus where you’d be lucky to find a seat, let alone one next to an outlet.
Other
Avery Self-Adhesive Reinforcement Labels
Good to have around in case one of your pages is tearing or needs to be reinforced. These are definitely a must, especially if your books are loose-leaf and you have some pages starting to tear in your binders.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.