20 Must-Have School Supplies for College

There are a few items I would call as must-have school supplies for college students. The items below are my favorites – things that I use every day and can’t imagine not having in my dorm room.

Must-Have School Supplies for College: Notebooks

I mostly take electronic notes in college now for the convenience of CTRL + F, but it’s something about cute notebooks. I just have to have them! They’re great when I have thoughts or ideas I need to jot down quickly outside my school notebooks. I love my notebooks from May Designs – a local company started by Mica May in Austin, TX!

Must-Have School Supplies for College: Sticky Tabs

I have an obsession with cute sticky tabs and notes. I like having a variety of colors, so I always have options for my planners, notebooks, and textbooks. I love this set of page markers because it conveniently folds up in my backpack. I also love how these Post-It page markers come in lots of colors, perfect for writing notes in your textbooks without actually marking them up.

College Planner

I find satisfaction in physically crossing things off my to-do list. It just doesn’t compare to anything you can do on your phone or laptop! I’ve tried almost every planner under the sun, and I’m always open to trying new ones. Let me know if you have one you love!

Scissors, Glue, and Tap

Even in college, I somehow still need a good pair of scissors, a roll of tape, and glue at my desk. I keep them in bright colors, so I can always spot them when I need them!

Colored Pens

The MUJI 0.38 Pens are my favorite pens—hands-down. They’re perfect for color coding your notes, differentiating tasks in your agenda, and even decorating cards.

Dry Erase Markers

Dry erase boards are a great study tool. I started using one my freshman year and loved it so much, I would sometimes carry one with me! If you don’t like wasting paper from doing scratch work, dry erase boards and dry erase markers are your answer. There have been multiple times where I’ve been caught in study spots without markers. It always felt good to feel prepared with my own!

Permanent Markers

I somehow found a way to also need permanent markers in all colors. Maybe it has to do with my constant need to write my name on all my things or craft homemade cards, but either way, they’ve come in handy these past few years!

Binders and Dividers

I’m an engineering major, so I tend to collect a lot of loose papers from scratch work. I love having colorful binders with plastic sleeves and colored tab dividers to keep my loose papers organized.

Folders and Spiral Notebooks

Although I love my binders, I usually keep them at my dorm, because they’re a bit too bulky for my backpack. Colored folders and colored notebooks are things that stay with me. I transfer any loose papers from folders into binders once I feel like I don’t need them with me at all times. I like to label my classes at the front of my colored folders with washi tape, so I can reuse them for another semester.  

Thank You Cards

These aren’t exactly school supplies, but thank you cards have become an absolute necessity in college. I’ve needed them for many occasions. Sending a thank you card is a small gesture, but showing even just a little gratitude can go a long way.

I hope you enjoyed my round-up of must-have school supplies! Besides a laptop, here are some other favorite school supplies that aren’t pictured here:

Did I miss anything on your list? Be sure to let me know down below. As always, you can shop my favorite school supplies in The Bella Insider Shop. Feel free to send me an email or leave me a comment if you have any questions about school supplies or college in general. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!