The Ultimate College School Supplies List for 2021

Searching high and low for a college school supplies list? Don’t fret, I got you covered!

College school supplies lists are not too different from school supply lists for high school. College is basically a more laid back, yet intenser version of high school. You still need pens, a pencil, and a notebook. But college courses sometimes require more than those three items.

In this blog post, I will address the following questions: what school supplies do college students need, what to bring to class in college, and what do you need for college online classes.

The Ultimate School Supplies List For College:

1. Laptop

Obviously, the best school supply for online college classes is a laptop. Having a nice laptop is going to help in the long run. I personally recommend a MacBook Air for college students. The MacBook Air is perfect for students due to its battery life and ability to run several programs at once without any issues.

After talking on the phone with an Apple salesperson on deciding whether to pick between a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, they explained to me that MacBook Airs are ideal for college students and are almost made just for students.

But you use any other brand laptop. Just make sure that it is able to last hours and have enough storage.

2. Pens

Pens are obviously one of the main college class essentials that you will pretty much use every day. I love using pens over pencils because in class you don’t have much time to go back and erase. With a pen, you can quickly write what you need without worrying about it.

My favorite pens are Pilot G-2 Pens. They are slide against the paper so well. They are my favorite pens ever.

3. Mechanical Pens/Pencils

There are some classes that require that you use a pencil. Seriously, still in college, some professors will want to dictate how you will take notes and what school supplies you’ll need for their class.

Pens are the OG of college school supplies. You will find them on pretty much every college class essentials list. Make sure you buy a good amount of them because you will lose some.

4. Notebooks

You will need a notebook no matter what. Notebooks are one of the most needed college class supplies because you will need them no matter what major you’re in.

My personal favorite notebook is the Mead Five Star 3 or 5 Subject Notebook. It is one of the best notebooks out there. They come with pockets for each section and come in either wide ruled or college ruled.

5. Highlighters

When reading dense textbooks, you’ll want to highlight the most important thing or lines. Highlighting is an easy study hack that most college students do, but it’s important to have a nice supply of highlighters in case a few run out of ink.

My personal favorite highlighters are Midliners. You can find them on pretty much every studyblr or study Instagram page. They are the best highlighters for college students because they have two sides: one for writing and one for highlighting.

6. Sticky Notes

Any size sticky notes will help you take notes, keep a to-do list, and great to just have around when you need to write something. I use sticky notes every day to write down my daily to-do list and whenever I need to write a quick note down.

7. Calculator

Calculators are most likely going to be used in your math classes, but you’ll still want one to have around. You never know when you might need one!

8. Pencil Case

Keep all your college school supplies in one spot with a pencil case. This is definitely an underrated item that you won’t see on too many college supply lists.

9. Backpack

Backpacks rank as one of the most essential school supplies for college. Where are you going to hold all your school supplies and your laptop?

Find yourself a lightweight, durable backpack with a laptop section.

My personal favorite backpack is the Northface Bordelais. It is my current backpack right now. I love it because it has enough space for all my supplies and laptop. It also has cushion padding for my back.

Related: 13 Cute Backpacks For College Students

10. Folders

Another OG school supply for college students is a folder. When I was a freshman, I did not expect to have so many papers and to actually need a folder. But my professors gave us so many papers to look over and my classes did a lot of writing.

Having a folder also made me way more organized.

11. Stapler

Some professors will want to you bring a stapled copy of your homework to class. It’s nice not to wander around campus looking for a free stapler with actual staples in it. I carry this mini stapler with me on campus just in case I need to staple something!

12. Binder

Binders are always in college school supplies package bundles! Instead of going for a notebook, you can organize a binder. There are so many college organization printables available for binders on Pinterest.

13. Planner

In almost every blog post, I’ve written giving advice to college students, I always recommending getting a planner just for college. I have two: one for college and schoolwork and another for my social media content.

Anyway, having a planner is a great way to stay organized. Ban.do has been my go-to planner since I was a junior in high school. I love using them because they are whimsical and have so many encouraging quotes in them.

Related: 25 Ways To Stay Organized in College (Even With Online Classes)

14. Printer Paper

Sure your campus might have free printing, but you will definitely need some printer paper. There will be times when you will need to print something and some printers on campus don’t have paper, especially if they are free.

15. USB Drive/TB Storage Drive

Even though these sound outdated af, you will still need a USB drive or some sort of storage. You will need somewhere to back up files. Some campus events still hand out flash drives. If you have tons of files on your laptop, then get a 1 or 2 TB storage drive. There are honestly way better than a normal 16GB flash drive and you don’t need to clear it when it’s full. TBs most likely last for a long time.

16. Dry Erase Board or Decal

I love having a dry erase board/decal in my room. I’ve had one since I was in high school and use it to write motivational quotes, reminders, and sometimes my schedule. These are not too expensive and a fun way to do your homework.

17. Index Cards

Finally, the final items on my college school supplies list are index cards. They are great to use to study. If you are in a major that relies heavily on memorization and knowing terms, then you should buy some index cards.

Bonus: What To Bring To Online College Classes

Online classes can be a pain in the butt. No seriously, if you are sitting that long then your butt will start hurting. But there are some college class supplies for online classes that you’ll want to have.

18. Headphones/Airpods/Earbuds

This is probably the most used item on my online college supply list. Prior to online classes, I still used my AirPods religiously. But now with online classes, I use them so much more due to lectures and having to watch videos.

Having a pair of headphones/earbuds/AirPods will help you listen better and also prevent you from distracting others. These also tend to come with microphones installed so you don’t have to worry about buying a microphone to speak in your classes.

19. Comfortable Seating/Seat Cushion

As I am typing out this sentence, I am sitting on a cushion because my desk chair is so flat. My butt hurts some days due to how long I sit in front of my laptop. Overall, having comfortable seating will prevent back, butt, and leg pain. It is also vital for you to a few stretches every 30 minutes to an hour.

I try to walk around and stretch each hour or after every class I have. Most importantly, I remember to adjust my seat, seat cushion, and body posture.

20. Online calendar

Simple and free. Utilize your laptop’s free calendar and schedule your events. They will give you reminders for when class starts or when you planned out to study.

21. A good wifi connection

Lastly, you will definitely need this. A good wifi connection is essential for doing well in online classes. There is nothing more annoying than when my wifi connection stops in the middle of one of my online lectures.

Make sure you have a stable connection before starting and learn how to ensure that your connection will work!

This blog post was the ultimate school supplies list for college!

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• How To Study For Online Classes in 2021

• 27 Things That Every College Student Needs

• 25 Things I Wish I Knew Before College