It's getting close to school. And for those who haven't started
school shopping yet, I had a chance to shop for school supplies in order to
give you an idea of how I'll use them. I really kind of recommend these tips,
but I know that everyone has their ways of using school supplies. Without
further ado, I'll show you some school supply essentials.
- Let's start with the
basics: a pencil and paper. I really enjoy the Bic Xtra Life Mechanical
Pencils in the 0.7 mm because you get a good deal out of those, and they
will last throughout the year. Plus, they are also good pencils for those
who want to borrow if you do have better pencils. Also for testing and
people who want to borrow, also keep wooden pencils in mind. Not many of
us prefer wooden, but however wooden pencils are required at some tests,
well I know the ACT (they don't play around, folks). Then you obviously
need lined paper. For me, as long as they are college ruled any will do.
- Then you are
going to need a bookbag to carry all of your stuff. I like a sturdy
backpack that will last me all year. All of my backpacks were kind of
splurges; the Jansport for sophomore was the least for around 20-something
bucks and The North Face for senior year was the most for 45-65 bucks (I
got this from some type of outdoor shop online for $45, but they retail
for $65). If you want to be very practical, backpacks are great for that
because the weight is distributed on both shoulders. I liked The North
Face though I have not used a ton yet because it is very comfortable on
the back. For style, I like the Jansport because it includes many prints
and styles to choose from. Sadly, PINK by Victoria's Secret does not make
the backpack I used for my freshman year (the canvas fabric), but their
new ones are super cute if you're the sporty person, but do not want to
spend a lot of money on The North Face ones. If the backpack is not your
style, then totes are a great option. I had a tote for my junior year, and
it's the LL Bean's Boat and Tote Bag in the nautical flags. They are very
durable, long lasting, classic, and includes many colors and prints. You
can also do Longchamp if you are more of a splurge person. They have
different sizes and color, and they seem to last long too. I recommend
looking at reviews on the bags before you make a purchase if you want your
bag to last all year.
- If you want to survive
assignments, sports, extracurricular activities, have an agenda.
Actually if you’re reading this, have an agenda. An
agenda organizes all of your events, games, practices, rehearsals,
meetings, parties, vacations, dates, etc. I can just go on and on with
this thing. But I like the weekly or daily planners that will allow you
space to write down homework, projects, paper, due dates, and other school
errands. That way your life will be tackled on so much better. I had a
Bloom planner my freshman year, Lilly my sophomore and junior year, and
now a Day Designer my senior year. I have a huge Day Designer daily
planner that outlines each day from to do lists, to jotting some good
things, to quotes, and to schedules. I love the structure and purpose of
meeting some goals, the thing that school is all about: good grades,
better position in extracurricular activities/sports, and even getting
into college. Remember, and agenda will save your life.
- Also I can't survive
school with pens and highlighters. A good black pen will lead you long
ways. Recently in black pens I have discovered the Staedtler Triplus
Fineliner pens, and I am impressed. I love the ink flow, the skinny tip,
and those triangular grips. Then since my UNC college trip I had finally
placed my hands on the Stabilo Point 88 pens, and I am hooked. I got the
15 colors, which included 4 or 5 neon colors that I was in awe of. They
are useful when it comes to color coding notes and agenda entries. Then in
highlighters I also discovered the Stabilo neon highlighters (the ones
that come in toothpaste tubes) from the NC State college trip and I was
also impressed. I liked the bright colors that helped draw my attention to
some important things. I also appreciate the Sharpie and the Staples brand,
too.
- I love notebooks
because they keep your notes, warm-ups, or even some assignments in place.
For the ones with the pockets, you can have just that for one class,
keeping papers in as long as you label the pockets. For the solid
notebooks, I like the Five Star and Staples because they do have durable
plastic covers that will not fall off. I also like pretty notebooks, like
the glitter one from Walmart and such. In this case I am the student body
secretary at my school, and I will need a notebook to carry my actions. I
like a pretty one to make myself more studious and stylish. I have the one
by Studio C and it's the tortoise print composition notebook.
- Some people like
binders to organize classes. Some like folders. Some like notebooks as in
last paragraph. Some even like file accordion file folders. I prefer
binders because most of them have customizable covers, and I like how they
hold paper together. Last year I've came across the Staples Better
Binders, and that was the best decision I've ever made. I am coming to my
second year with them with no major injuries. Even the plastic pocket
inside was durable. I customized my binder covers in the few years, but
this time I'm going to put in scrapbook paper that anyone can get at craft
stores. I also recommend the plastic paper binder divers, specifically the
ones from Avery, because these will last you for years. Plus the pockets
don't break. Then for homework, handouts that don't pertain to my classes
and other miscellaneous things can go to my plastic folder from Five Star.
It is their four pocket plastic folder if you're wondering.
- Then you'll need
something to put the little pens, pencils, erasers, etc. in. I prefer a
pencil case. I'm more likely to use the one from Staples with more
compartments because it was not breaking on me, but there are cute ones
from Forever 21 and such.
- I love using Post-it
notes for doing lots of things: adding notes that you forgot, reminders,
marking page numbers, etc. I like their page markers in different colors,
and the regular sticky notes, too. Then I like having a mini stapler on me
because it is awkward to go up to the stapler and there are no staples. If
you are in need of a good eraser on a budget, I like the Hipolymer eraser
because you get your bang for your buck when it is on sale, and everyone
talks about it so the rest is self explanatory. Then, there are many uses
for index cards: notes, remembering information, doodling canvases, etc. I
got the 3x5 and the 4x6 (if I remember) flashcards because I like the bigger
ones for my biology notes. I am an advocate for Google Drive for doing
online work and papers (still utilize it), but sometimes I can't use it
for all of my assignments like I wanted to either because of different
aspects of the programs (like the equations, ways of making graphs, etc.).
So have a flash drive, just in case.
- If you are an avid
drinker of water, I recommend a water bottle, whether it is already filled
up with water or not. I recommend bringing a bottle already filled with
water if the only source of water at your school is at the water fountain
(I'm not a big fan of those at my school). If you are a fan of the water
fountains at your school, or if your school does have a water bottle
filling station, bring a water bottle because you will not regret. I also
recommend bringing a thermal one that keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks
cold because not only you are saving the environment, you are also saving
a few cents that would have been needed for something important at some
restaurants we visit after school.
- For picky eaters like
me, including people who cannot stand their school's food, I recommend
bringing your own lunch. I've had good experiences with the Thirty-One
lunchboxes that last a few years and you can also customize using different
prints/monograms/writing. This year, I am trying out the Pack-It
lunchboxes that you can find at Target. The coolest thing is that you
don't need a freezer pack; you just need to fold the lunch box (it's
foldable) and put it in the freezer. Also, minimize the use of many
plastic bags and use lunch containers that don't use much space. I am
trying the Rubbermaid Lunch Blox Kit that contains a few containers that
attach to each other. This also includes an ice pack, so that is handy if
I'm using another lunchbox, too. I also liked the Fit and Fresh lunch
containers, too. Lunch containers also help with portion control, my
biggest problem when eating, so that is helpful.
And that is it for my school supply essentials. I hope you
have received some helpful advice, and have a great school year. Desi out!
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