During my academic career, I have gone through my fair share of school supplies. It has taken  a long time for me to see what I like and what works best for me. While I’m always finding new items, these are some essentials that I think you’ll like.

Planner

Everyone needs a planner. It is helpful to have a way to keep your schedule, assignments, and appointments all in one place. I prefer a paper planner because of their format, but I always make sure to add important dates to the calendar on my phone

You can check how I organize my planner here. 

Binder or Notebook

Over my academic career, I have found many ways to take and organize notes. By keeping all your notes in one place and organizing them in a binder or notebook, you can easily return to them when studying or doing an assignment. Personally, I  like to take my notes by hand during lectures. I really like using some form of spiral bound, because it makes it easier for me to write since I’m a leftie.

Folders

Keep all your loose papers in one place to prevent losing assignments or documents in folders. This will also help you to  look like you just might have your life together, even when you feel like you do not.

Computer

From professors posting lectures and course documents online to scheduling your courses to essay writing sessions, having a computer is essential. There are so many great programs and tools available such as Microsoft Word, OneNote, Brainscape to help you study and work. Just make sure not to get distracted by cute animal videos online.

Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is super important. No matter how much or how little we exert ourselves we always need water. There are countless studies showing how dehydrated people are today and the side effects, headaches, dry mouth, and fatigue just to name a few. Keep a refillable bottle on hand and keep your water intake up throughout the day.

Flash Drive

Always have a flash drive on you while at school. They are so handy for keeping files and a lot more secure than paper copies. I cannot count the number of times they have saved me. You can use an actual flash drive, or a free online service like Google Drive or Dropbox, or some combination of both like I do. Keep both new and old files organized in one place because you never know when you will need it.

Desk Supplies

Make sure to stock up on “desk supplies”! I consider anything that is small enough to fit on my desk that can make my life a little easier during school a part of this category. You may think these are not necessary, but they are super handy and great in organizing your study material. You will thank me later.

What your essentials for getting through school?