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Best Pens, Markers, & Highlighters

Perhaps second only to a new computer, pens, pencils, and highlighters are at the top of the back to Best school shopping list. This can only mean one thing—a huge list of our favorite aesthetic writing utensils.

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Quick Drying Gel Pens

Amazon

Even though many of us turn to our laptops for writing, nothing beats a good gel pen gliding easily across the page. These quick-drying black pens are just as cute as they are functional.

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Mechanical Pencil Set

Four Candies

Why is it that only pens get all of the attention? This set has everything that you need for the entire school year—mechanical pencils, lead refills, and erasers!

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Highlighter and Pen Matching Set

BLIEVE

We love a matching aesthetic, so it’s no surprise that we would match our highlighters to our pens! This set has a variety of pastel-colored highlighters with matching ink pens for a fully on-brand notetaking experience.

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Mildliner Double Edged Highlighters

Zebra Pen

When you can’t decide what kind of highlighter you need, might we suggest a double-sided version? With one end that has a flat chisel tip, and another that has a thicker bullet tip, you can write (or highlight) to your heart’s content!

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Soft Touch Felt Tip Pens

U Brands

This set of black, bleed-resistant ink pens not only look chic, but they’ll be a comfortable addition to your writing collection.

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Polka Dot Mini Pencils

Inklings Paperie

No, these aren’t the mini pencils that you know from mini golf or IKEA! These short pencils are perfect for whenever you want to jot down a quick note or when you’re keeping your school supplies to a minimum.

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Multicolor Highlighters

Yoobi

These mini highlighters come in five bright colors with an ergonomic grip so that they stay comfortable, no matter how much homework you have to do.

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Pastel Highlighters

Mr. Pen

If you’re not a bright highlighter person, don’t fret, because these pastel highlighters come in an array of colors that will still help you mark the important things in books or essays that need your attention. Plus, these come in a super fun rectangle shape that will help you save some space in your overflowing pencil case.

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Transparent Sticky Note Pen

Diversebee

If you’re writing on transparent sticky notes, this pen is a must to make sure that any important reminders don’t smear onto the page. While there are many different similar kinds of markers available, we’ve found that this one is the best!

Best Notebooks & Stationary

The classic notebook. Whether you prefer wide-ruled or college-ruled, large or small, a large selection of stationary is a must-have when it comes to going back to school (or work). The easiest way to make sure that we take great notes in class? Having a fun notebook that we want to write in!

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Good Vibes Notebook

Notebook cOllective

Doesn’t the name say it all? This retro-inspired notebook makes taking notes in class so much more enjoyable.

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Boho Spiral Notebooks

EOOUT

This set of three hardcover college-ruled notebooks are perfect to take notes, write down ideas, or simply doodle in during class!

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Journal Spiral Notebook Set

ZICOTO

For anyone who enjoys a more minimal notebook aesthetic, this set of three is a neutral lovers dream!

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Retro Hardcover Notebooks

THiNKABLE

Can you tell that we love some vintage flare? These retro graphic notebooks remind us to keep on keepin’ on all the way to the end of the semester.

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Vintage Flower Notebooks

ALIMITOPIA

These spiral bound notebooks are a perfect choice for someone who prefers notebooks with a wider-rule.

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Soft Cover Earth Tone Journal Set

Happy Hoos

These earth tone journals come in a set of 8 (two of each color) that is just the right size for meditation, travel, or gratitude journaling.

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Lined Journal Notebooks

Comix

If you’re someone who prefers their notebooks thread bound instead of with wire, these journals are the perfect size and come in a set of four.

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Quote Spiral Notebook

Compendium

Sometimes an aesthetic just speaks to us…

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Plastic Cover Notebook Set

Yansanido

These 160-page plastic cover notebooks are waterproof to protect any important notes inside.

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Large Floral Notebook

Steel Mill & Co

Large floral notebooks with plenty of room to write? We love it! Large floral notebooks that have a full line of matching accessories? We really love it!

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Composition Notebook

Yoobi

Boring black and white composition notebooks are so last year. Why not uprade the classic notebook with this brightly colored one?

Best Planners & To-Do Lists

A tale as old as time, a great planner can be a make-or-break necessity for school. If you struggle with deadlines, due dates, and class schedules, this is one section that you don’t want to scroll by.

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To Do List & Daily Planner

Zicoto

Monthly and weekly planners are great, but I turn to my daily to-do lists more than anything. This planner combines the best of both worlds by giving you a daily planner layout with space for appointments, notes, reminders, and tasks.

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Budget Planner

Clever Fox

Okay, so there is nothing aesthetic about keeping track of your bank balance, but would it help to stay on top of your finances if it came in a cute planner? We thought so.

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To Do List Pad

Taja

A whole pad to remind you of everything that you need to do. Today. Tomorrow. And the day after that.

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Diary-Style Weekly Planner

Kokonote

If you prefer a smaller planner, this diary-sized option still has plenty of room to write with an upgraded custom feel.

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Dry Erase Memo Board

Russel + Hazel

This isn’t your typical white dry-erase board. This clear, acrylic board is a fun way to write encouraging notes, affirmations, or upcoming assignments in an unexpected, stylish, and trendy way.

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17-Month Undated Planner

Paperage

Do you stress out about having to time your planner purchase perfectly to fit with a new (school) year? Paperage’s undated planner makes it simple to fill in the start date whenever you’d like.

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Simplified Student Planner

ZICOTO

Perfectly sized to fit into a backpack or book bag, this student planner has weekly views that allow you to conveniently organize your homework, due dates, and other important notes by class.

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Fruitful Time-Blocker Planner

The Fruitful Entrepreneur

If you are someone who doesn’t use time as wisely as they should (read: all of us), this planner is here to help you schedule important study sessions, meetings, agendas, and homework time to make the most out of your day.

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Monthly Desk Planner

Bliss Collections

While Google Calendar is my personal love language, you can’t beat the analog planning of a monthly planner. Place it on your desk or hang it on your wall for an overview of what the month holds.

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Meal Planner & Market List

DreamWorks Ink

Busy students are students who forget to eat. Or, busy students are students who spend too much on takeout. Don’t let your eating go astray, instead use a cute meal planner like this to pre-plan your meals to avoid running up that grocery store or DoorDash bill.

Best School Supply & Paper Organizers

Sure, it’s great to have supplies, but where are you going to put the supplies? Whether you need to store your school stuff at your desk or in your room, or you need to be able to take them with you, these organizers are another must-have on our school supply list.

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Large Capacity Pencil Case

Easthill

You need a place to keep all of those pens, and this cute and giant pencil case can fit all of your pens, notes, highlighters, and probably even a calculator. It also comes in every color to match your personal style.

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Preppy 'Stuff' Bag

Fablinks

If you’re someone who loves a little more color, this pink pouch is perfect for you. With big chenille letters, this is the perfect bold place to put well…all your stuff.

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Checkered Wool Pencil Case

GGOOB

If you only need to carry a few pens and pencils with you to class, this slim pencil case is made of wool and oh-so-aesthetic. Not a fan of tan and brown? It also comes in a variety of bold colors!

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Plastic Pocket Folders

Mr. Pen

Goodbye to the flimsy paper folders that we all had in elementary school. These plastic pocket folders are a worthy upgrade to protect important essays, assignments, and papers to make sure that they’re ready by the due date.

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Plant Terrarium Binder

Greenroom

Plant lover? Why not decorate their binder with a few of their favorite things.

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5 Pocket Folder With Labels

Sooez

Whether it’s notes for class or receipts for your budget, this expandable file folder helps to maximize limited space and keep everything perfectly organized.

Best Sticky Notes, Stickers, & Labels

Sticky notes and labels can be like the cherry on top of a sundae. While you might not need them, it does make everything just a little bit better. In this case, we love sticky notes for their aesthetic vibes just as much as we do for their utility.

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Pastel Sticky Note Set

Zicoto

There are a lot of sticky notes on this list—seriously, though, they’re the definition of aesthetic—but this is the comprehensive set. With a variety of sizes, colors, and even page tabs, you won’t need any other notes. (That is, unless you want to.)

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Pop-up Note Dispenser

Post-it

One part desk accessory, but one part adorable kitty. Who wouldn’t reach for one when it’s there to help?

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Transparent Sticky Notes

Gepehoho

Move over standard notes! These transparent sticky tabs are perfect to use in textbooks or notebooks to write yourself a note and still be able to see the text underneath. Not only that, but the thin PET-material is waterproof!

Note: Traditional pens will smudge on these, so make sure to snag the sticky note marker we recommended on this list.

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Colorful Grid Sticky Notes

Monolike

For your lunch-note love notes, quick to-do reminders, a meeting time you place on your laptop screen, or an affirmation to get you through a hectic week, these cute and unique sticky notes are a must-have.

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Washi Tape

Knaid

It’s simple—washi tape just makes things more fun. Put a strip in your notes to emphasize an important quiz question, mark an important date, or just use it for decoration. 

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Decorative Stickers for Planners

HZMM

When washi tape isn’t enough, turn to stickers. These stickers come in all of the green, pink, brown, yellow, and purple hues you could ever desire. Use them in your planner, on your calendar, or to hang up cute notes on the wall. Either way, these multi-purpose adhesives are essential.

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Pastel Correction Tape

Gincevhy

Who needs boring white out correction pens when these are so much better? (Note: The correction tape is white, not colored.)

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Label Maker

MakeID

While this label maker may not look like anything extraordinary, the labels give every notebook, storage container, or planner a personalized aesthetic with the customizable fonts and designs. Get ready to label absolutely everything in your house.

Best Desk Accessories

They say that the key to studying is having a great desk space. Keep all of your school things and stationary organized and tucked away so that you can focus on that homework that’s due tomorrow.

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Colorful Wireless Keyboard

UBOTIE

Give your desk a glow-up by getting this colorful wireless keyboard. Not only do they come in a bunch of cute colors, but the sound and sensations of the keys are also soothing and make typing fun. Everyone will be asking you to drop the link for your desk accessories.

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Gold Laptop Stand

Cenawin

When you go to grab yourself a wireless keyboard, the logical next step is a laptop stand that makes you believe you have a cool desktop computer, but without the price tag. I also find that a laptop stand makes working a lot easier on the neck for those longer study hours.

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Desktop Organizer

Jerry & Maggie

Whether you’re taking classes from home or doing homework after a long day at school, you need an organized space to help you stay focused on your work. This desk organizer is ready to hold all your books, pens, plants, and timers to keep you on task and well-decorated.

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Colorful Calculator

EooCoo

When I was growing up, I only ever had a grey or white calculator, and this calculator is a dream that will have all of your classmates or coworkers green with envy.

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Wireless Charging Station

Courant

Most underrated purchase this year? This wireless charging station. Say goodbye to broken, messy chords with this charger. Simply place your phone down on it, and it charges magnetically without worrying about a cord barely hanging on by a thread.

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Pastel Storage Basket

Canipha

I swear by these for any desk, bookshelf, or bathroom organization. They come in such cute colors and are stackable, so they are quite the space saver.

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Mini Cloud Portable Paper Cutters

WOIWo

Cutting paper or opening mail or something in between? These mini paper cutters can go with you (just about) anywhere.

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Mini Stapler

Urradia

If you often find yourself spending long afternoons in the library, you might want to invest in a mini stapler to keep yourself organized.

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Multifunctional Desktop Organizer

Poeland

Especially in a dorm room, desktop space is at a premium. This organizer makes the best of it by giving you both vertical and horizontal storage to fit just about anything that you need at your desk.

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Desktop Drawer Organizer

Dalanpa

Do you want to keep your cool school supplies out of sight (and out of mind) when you’re in your room? This neatly packs everything away and looks cute while doing it.

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Acrylic Desktop Organizer

HeZone

The see-through acrylic is a great way to organize your folders, books, and papers and still see everything in one glance.

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Daily Flip Calendar

Suptec

It wouldn’t be a list of aesthetic items if we didn’t include at least one calendar.

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Cactus Pencil Holders

Leonbach

You don’t just have to use this set of cactus holders on your desk. Use them to hold makeup brushes in your bathroom!

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Rose Gold Desk Accessories

Famassi

If you want all of your desk accessories to match, this is the complete set! Whether you’re stapling, clipping, or taping, you’ll be doing it in style.

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Compact Travel Mirror

Kintion

You never know when you’ll need to give an impromptu presentation, so it’s best to have a way to sneak a quick peek at yourself before you go up to the front.

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Power Mist Hand Sanitizer

Touchland

If we have learned anything in the past few years, it’s the importance of clean hands. Whether you’re visiting a new place or doing group projects with others, keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer close by is an absolute necessity.

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Drawer Organizer Set

Spacesaver

When traditional clear drawer organizers just won’t do, step it up with these fun (and aesthetic) colored containers.

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Foldable Laptop Table

Eternal Wings

As much as we would like to say otherwise, a lot of your studying might not be done at your desk. Especially if you’re spending the school year in a dorm room, you’ll want to make the most of your space by utilizing the room on your bed.

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Standing Desk

Flexispot

While this is a more pricy item, studies show that there can be positive effects when finding a good balance of sitting and standing throughout the day. Some may not consider this the most “aesthetic” purchase, but a bamboo standing desk—paired with some potentially positive health benefits—sounds pretty aesthetic to me!

Best Backpacks & Totes

So just how will you get your school supplies to and from the classroom? Well, that depends, but we suggest having a quality backpack or tote to carry around your necessities. And no, it doesn’t have to look like you just stepped out of class—many of these backpacks and bags are upgraded takes on the classics.

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Signature Commuter Backpack

Open Story

A sleek backpack that doesn’t immediately say high school or college student? Yes, please!

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Tote Bag

Baggu

Baggu is hot right now, and for good reason. The Baggu tote bags are truly big enough for all of your commuting needs, while also having a print, pattern, and even size, for everyone. I love this flower print bag that is big enough for a large laptop and then some.

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Waterproof Charging Backpack

LoveVook

This backpack is designed with the college student in mind! With a USB charging cable and a convenient pocket for your power bank inside, as well as a USB charging port outside, you’ll be able to charge your electronics on the go. Add to that a traditional headphone port — you have a hands-free experience anywhere that you’re headed.

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Protective Laptop Shoulder Bag

Tomtoc

For the student that just needs a super functional laptop bag for class, this slim sleeve accommodates up to a 14” laptop, with a fleece lining that keeps your computer safe and sound. Additional pockets on the front allow for easy access to pens, pencils, and other important tools, while a shoulder strap provides a comfortable carry between buildings.

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Convertible Backpack Briefcase

Ecosusi

This backpack combines the best of both worlds: a backpack when you want to be hands-free, but a professional looking messenger bag when you need to stash your 16” laptop.

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Smiley Face Laptop Sleeve

BaggU

This puffy sleeve gives us all the happy vibes. With enough room for a 14” laptop, this protective laptop sleeve will make you smile every time you reach for it!

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Traveling Laptop Backpack

Momuvo

The structured shape of this backpack means that it can stay open for easy access to any of your school supplies.

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Puffy Laptop Sleeve

Comfyable

This puffy laptop sleeve feels like your computer is being hugged by a cloud, just the way we like it.