Buy:

Pencils (Mechanical and wooden)

Pencils are a necessity for every class. When deciding between wooden and mechanical pencils, it comes down to personal preference. Mechanical pencils are slightly more expensive, but they do make writing easier if you don’t lose them. Wooden pencils are recommended for nearly all standardized tests such as EOCs and AP tests. They also come in packages with many more pencils than mechanical. Either work great for students.

Folders

Having folders for each class is a great way to stay organized without carrying around a big binder. Folders are inexpensive at most stores. Durable folders can cost a bit more, but will last longer.

Notebooks

Notebooks are practically a must for high school students. Most classes will require one for either note taking, homework or both. Multi-subject notebooks provide more pages and section dividers for easy organization.

Pens

Red, black and blue pens have been an essential item on school supply lists forever. Red pens are used for easy grading while black and blue can be used for anything needed and are an alternative to pencils for everyday writing needs.

Highlighters

Highlighters may not be used as often as some other supplies, but come in handy quite often in classes, especially in English. They can be used to make notes stand out, help on test questions or even used as a grading tool in some classes. When the teacher asks you to use one, you don’t want to be the kid that has to ask the class to borrow one.

Headphones

Especially in the era of Chromebooks and watching videos, headphones are needed in the classroom more than ever. For classroom purposes, the original wired headphone cords work best to plug in to computers or other devices.

Don’t Buy:

Ruler

Every August, many people see rulers on the school supply list and buy one or two but end up hardly ever using them. They aren’t necessary for learning in most classrooms, and if they are, chances are the teacher will have plenty for the class to use. For the people who only use them as a straight edge, there are many alternative straight edges readily available.

Dry Erase markers

Dry erase markers are another item that are on school supply lists almost every year but rarely used. By the end of a couple years, you end up with a stack of very lightly used markers and nothing to do with them. Similar to rulers, if a teacher wants you to use one they will probably have them ready for you. They end up not being worth your money to buy.

Sticky notes

If you know how to use sticky notes to your benefit, buy them for you. For most people though, sticky notes will end up staying in the bottom of your backpack most of the year. They don’t serve a great purpose for the typical student.

Pink Eraser

Pink erasers are great for students to a point. They do the same job as the eraser on the end of your pencil, just a lot bigger and harder to carry around than a pencil. Pink erasers essentially take up space and won’t benefit your learning. We are typing and using computers now more than ever as well, so the odds of your eraser running low isn’t near as high as years past.

Glue Sticks/Tape/Glue

Glue sticks, liquid glue and tape all do the same job, and unless you are an art student, won’t be used in class often. Teachers normally have lots of these things, so if a project or assignment needs them, you’ll be set. Both glues also have a chance of making a mess in your backpack, especially in Texas heat. Glue sticks could melt, and if you don’t close your liquid glue tight, you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands.