This is not going to be a list of brands or recommendations, but a guide on how to decide what to buy, and things to keep in mind when shopping for stationery. I’m a huge stationery enthusiast and also quite good at organisation, so I hope this will be useful for some of you!
While it’s nice to just browse the stores from time to time, I recommend to think about what you want to buy before you go shopping to prepare for a new semester or school year. You’ll be less likely to waste money on things you don’t need, and you’ll also be less likely to forget important equipment. Keep the following things in mind:
How do you want to organise your notes etc? Do you need folders, notebooks, loose paper? Do you prefer lines, grid, dotted, or blank paper? Which size do you prefer for notebooks?
Do you need special supplies, like a set square, specific pens or pencils for art class, a calculator?
Don’t forget the small stuff - paperclips, eraser, sharpener, pen refills, glue, scissors, compasses…
Do you need a new calendar or filofax inserts? Do you want to start a new method of organisation, like a bullet journal?
Do you need flashcards, post-it notes, page flags?
Do you have to replace something that is broken or can’t be used anymore after your last semester/year?
If necessary, write a list! (You’ll find an example below.)
I can’t write a post about stationery and not address this. You shouldn’t spend loads of money on brands or supplies you don’t actually want or need just to fulfil an aesthetic! But we need to distinguish between the “studyblr aesthetic” and people’s personal aesthetic, which is a different thing. Some like their supplies to be very minimalistic, some like it colourful or flowery, some like it if all their supplies come from the same company and who couldn’t imagine switching their fineliner brand ever in their life. In my opinion that’s a good thing - if you like working with and around your supplies, it can make studying more enjoyable! My supplies are all quite plain, but practical - I’ve learnt how thick my paper needs to be and which pens have the best flow for my handwriting. With time, you’ll get there too! I’d recommend to look at the different options in some stores and decide on what you like best. Find a balance between practicability, quality, and aesthetic - that’s easier said than done, but you know best what works for you!
Good stationery doesn’t have to be expensive, and high-end pens or whatever don’t help you get better grades!
Get refills for your pens instead of whole new pens.
Don’t buy a notebook if you can’t name exactly what you’re going to use it for! Notebook hoarding is a real problem (trust me), and much more expensive than pencil hoarding (if that’s a thing).
Only invest bigger amounts of money in things that will last you a long time and that you will be using almost every day, for example a filofax agenda, a scientific calculator, or a slightly more expensive fountain pen.
Bullet journal does not equal Leuchtturm1917 or Moleskine, even if it seems that way. You can make a bullet journal out of any journal you have!
While I think it’s important to support small businesses (if you have any independent stationery stores in your neighbourhood and you can afford it, buy stuff from them!) - if you can’t afford to spend more than absolutely necessary on stationery, then that’s the way it is. Compare prices online and in different stores, and make use of special deals (stores often have those when school starts!).
4. Essentials & Additions
To conclude this masterpost, here’s a list of things that I’d consider essentials for a semester. Of course this may differ from person to person, and you might not need some of these things (or maybe you need additional things that are not listed here)!
Writing: two pencils (mechanical or classic ones?), medium strength, + refills if you have mechanical ones/sharpener if you have normal ones; eraser, ballpoint pen and/or fountain pen (depending on what you prefer, plus ink refills for fountain pens), fineliners/gel pens and/or crayons in 3 to 5 colours, highlighters in three colours, two permanent markers (black is the safest option)
Paper: Notebooks (size? spiral or not? number of pages? colours for each class or one big notebook for all classes), flashcards, post-it notes in two colours, page flags
Equipment: calculator (how many functions?), set square, scissors, maybe glue if you’re bullet journalling, paper clips, stapler, puncher, correction fluid, sellotape, pins
Organisation: folders and/or binders (colours?), dividers, labels for the folders if not provided, journal or calendar (inserts for filofax or a whole new calendar?), plastic sleeves (I’d say 10 to 20)
Possible additions that might not be necessary for you:
Printer paper, printer ink, laminating sheets
Washi Tape, stickers, other inserts for your bullet journal/calendar
Laptop sleeve, additional charger, USB stick, HDMI adapter
Textbook sleeves, bookmarks
pencils in various strengths, highlighters/crayons/gel pens in various colours
additional inserts for your filofax (addresses, year overview, coloured paper)
magnets, posters, whiteboard markers
coloured paper/flashcards
non-permanent markers (e.g. for overhead projections)
I hope this was helpful! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
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