All throughout my life, shopping for school supplies was a BIG deal. Each year as summer came to a close, I would make an extensive list including everything that I could possibly need for the upcoming school year. My parents definitely spent an unnecessary amount of money to make sure that all of my things were color coordinated for each of my classes, and that I had cool locker decorations (even though I hardly ever used my locker).
Going into college, I was unsure of what school supplies I would actually need. In this post, I will share which school supplies I found to be necessary for college to help you from spending on things that you most likely will not use.
Durable Backpack
I suggest investing in a good quality backpack that will last you all four years of college. I use the North Face Borealis Backpack which has multiple compartments to store your school supplies and to keep it all organized. It has plenty of space for everything that I need to bring with me to class and around campus. This backpack also has padded straps which are an important feature to me because of the far distances I have to walk from class to class.
Laptop
For most universities, it is a requirement that you bring a laptop with you to school because most assignments are done online. It’s also just way more convenient to have your own computer rather than having to go to a computer lab to do all of your homework. This doesn’t mean that you have to go spend $1,000 on a computer. There are many laptops out there that are much more affordable and will still do everything you need it to.
Planner
I cannot stress the importance of having a planner enough. You will absolutely, without a doubt, NEED a planner in college. There are going to be so many dates and deadlines that you will need to remember so it’s best to keep track of it all in one place.
Blue Sky Academic Year Planner
Pencils
Pretty self-explanatory. You will need pencils for notes, taking quizzes/exams, writing in your planner, etc.
Colored Pens
Colored pens make taking notes and doing homework a lot less boring in my opinion.
Highlighters
Highlighters are great for studying because you can highlight important information in your notes or textbooks to make it stand out.
Notebooks
A lot of people prefer taking notes on their computers these days but I still enjoy handwriting my notes. Handwriting your notes also helps you to retain information better. I like to buy my notebooks from Staples because they are cheap and come in a wide range of colors.
Binders
I was never a fan of using binders to keep my papers and notes organized until college. I recommend getting one binder with dividers to separate your notes and handouts for each of your classes. I found it unnecessary to have a separate binder for each class because they are bulky and take up a lot of space in my bag.
Sticky Notes
I like using sticky note flags to keep track of important information when I am reading textbooks or to mark what week I’m on in my planner.
Index Cards
I faithfully use index cards to study for all of my quizzes and exams. They are extremely useful for memorizing information and they are super cheap. If you don’t feel like spending a ton of time handwriting your notes on these index cards, I suggest using Quizlet which is a website that allows you to create flashcards online. It is a great study tool and it can save you a lot of time.
Pencil Case
To keep all of those pencils, pens, and highlighters that I said you will be needing all in one place.
Stapler
In high school, I was accustomed to having classrooms that had staplers that I could use, but that is a luxury that I do not have in college. Keep a stapler in your dorm to staple all of your papers and other assignments before you turn them in.
Three Hole Punch
This is something that I never thought about needing until classes had begun and I was getting dozens of handouts that I couldn’t put into my binder because they weren’t already hole-punched.
Calculator
This is only necessary if you are taking a math class that requires a calculator. Look into renting a graphing calculator from your school because they are pricey and it’s not worth paying over a $100 if you only need it for a semester or two.
I hope that this list will prevent you from spending tons of dollars on school supplies that you won’t end up using this school year!
Related: 10 Tips for College Move-in Day, Do’s and Dont’s for the First Week of College
