School Supply Lists

In an effort to save potential readers the overwhelming despair I felt standing in the school supply isle, lost in a sea of soccer moms, below is a list of some necessities for going back to school that I have gathered. You'll find a general list for college and pre-school. I’d love to get a list for elementary and high school, but in all honestly I don’t have time for that, what with a three year old tugging on my shirt at this very moment!

From late July to early August, stores everywhere have great deals on everything related to back to school you can imagine. You can also purchase items at the campus bookstore; however the cost will typically be higher. You may also choose to shop online, if you’re not up for the crowds during this season of deals. Office supply stores such as Staples, Office Max and Office Depot have great deals this time of year, with websites that are easy to navigate. Hope this helps!

College
Notebooks - I suggest one for each class
Folders - for hand outs & print outs
Binder
Printer paper
Pens and/or pencils
Lead refills or pencil sharpener
Highlighters
Stapler and staples – for multiple page assignments
Paperclips
Tape (not sure when I’ll actually need this for class, but I will certainly let you all know when I come across a situation.)
Calculator – certain classes may require a specific type of calculator (i.e. graphing). Check with your professor if you are unsure.
Reference books such as a dictionary & thesaurus –
Day planner/Organizer
Backpack - this is a personal choice. I know people who carry their books to class, running out to their car to swap their English material for their math. You may choose a standard backpack, a messenger bag, or (for the ladies) a purse. Personally, I will be bringing a purse I purchased from Barnes and Nobel that fits my books and notebooks perfectly.
Computer or laptop – some schools require students to have a computer, while others provide a computer lab; however if possible, it is best to own one for doing research and typing assignments. You will also need a printer and a way to connect to the internet. As a suggestion, flash drives and/or CDs are great for transferring files or keeping back-up. If you are a parent going to college, I’d suggest you invest in a lap top if possible. This way you can utilize time out with your child, say at the park, to work on your class assignments.
Work Space – if you already have a home office or a desk, then you’ve got this covered. If not, then it would be great to set up an area where you can work on assignments and keep items such as a stapler, hole punch, trash can, post-its, back-up notebooks, etc. If this isn’t in your budget, put all your supplies in a box or container of some sort and store it near the table where you can pull out what you need when you need it.


Pre-School
Because each preschool varies in their policies and preschool age children do not need too many items, you will need to check with the head of your child’s preschool to find out what you should bring, and what they prefer you do not send your child to school with. You may also want to stock up on some at home supplies to help your child practice what he/she has learned during the day. Here is a list of some items you may need to pick up, whether you use them for class or “homework”.

Backpack
Labels or tags – in preschool, as well as day cares, children need to label all of their belongings
Folder – for paper hand outs
Pencil pouch or box
Pencils and erasers
Crayons
Preschool safe scissors
Lunch box – you may also want to pick up a sandwich container, a snack bowl with a lid and a water bottle. Yes, these add to the cost, but when the year is over, you will have spent more on zip lock bags and individually wrapped snacks and drinks (in addition to the amount of waste)
A change of clothes – most preschools require that your child is potty trained; however kids this age can still have accidents and you don’t want your child to be left without something clean to change into if this happens. (On that note, be on the look out for an upcoming blog about getting your pre-school child ready for using the potty in class!)
A box of tissues or baby wipes
A special personal item such as a photo or stuffed animal – check with the teacher to make sure this is allowed

If I find that either of us need something not on this list, I'll you all know! Happy shopping!

School Supply Shopping

Standing in the school supply isle at Walmart, young children running around me, teenagers arguing with their parents about what type of pencils to buy, and college kids only slightly younger than me with carts full of dorm room items, I stared blankly at the wide verity of writing tools; my son draped over my upper body fast asleep and seeming to weight 100 lbs. I headed out to the store shortly after lunch with an energetic boy in tow thinking I'd run in and pick up a couple notebooks, a box of pens and some folders for paper handouts. My son, who outgrew naps six months ago, passed out in the cart and now that I was in front of the array of products and watching all these people purchase their education, my heart sank. I thought about going home to let him sleep, but this might be the only chance I got to school shop without a 3 year old begging for toys or new books. Overwhelmed and on the verge of a headache, I stayed and tried to determine the most necessary supplies.

I filled a corner of the cart with one 5 subject notebook, a box of pens, a small package of mechanical pencils, a few highlighters and 4 folders for handouts. “This ought to do it,” I thought and headed to the grocery side of the store to pick up a few more items. All in one shopping at Walmart – 7 years ago I despised Walmart for their corporate-ness. Now almost 25 years old with a child and quite a few years of real work experience, I love Walmart. My sleeping son was now awake and back in the cart after I shamefully bribed him in with a pack of pez I had in my purse for a few weeks.

When I returned home I decided to take a look online to see if there were any sites that discussed college school supplies and see if I missed anything. This is something I should have done before I set out on my shopping trip. I am usually overly prepared when I go shopping, but I had the urge to just get this done with so I left the house with a vague idea of what I thought I needed. As I sorted through the various blogs and Yahoo! answers, the overwhelming feeling of being in way over my head grew to new heights. I missed a lot of things on these people’s list. At first thinking the majority of these items weren’t really necessary, I read on… and on. When I realized that I hadn’t even considered the fact that I needed a stapler to bind my assignments together, I wrote out a list and resolved to go back to the store when my sister could watch her nephew.

Three days and roughly $60 later, I feel completely assured that I have everything I will need; perhaps even a few luxury items. I have set up an office area in my room and plan on buying a lap top as soon as funds allow it. I am more organized on a personal level than I have been in a long time. I rarely buy anything for myself, and never do so without also picking something up for my child. During the second shopping trip I put together a little “school” package for Braydon. Pre-school age children don’t need a whole lot and I have yet to discuss specifics with the child care director, but I figured if he didn’t need these items at school, he could use them to do his “homework”. Check out my next blog for a list of back-to-school items for college students, pre-school children and more!