School Essentials: Back To School Supplies Checklist

It’s back-to-school season, so it's time to gear up for a successful academic year!

This blog post will guide you through the essential list of school supplies every student should have in their backpack.

From organization tools to study aids and personal care products, we've got you covered. Not a student yourself? Don’t worry – this list can double as a checklist of classroom supplies for teachers or parents, too!

Let's explore the back-to-school essentials that will set you – or your children, loved ones, or students! - up for a productive and enjoyable year. Time to check off your back to school list.

1. Pens and Pencils

They're the most essential of back-to-school items, yet somehow, students seem to lose pens and pencils first. Or forget to buy them at all. Maybe it's that feeling of comfort knowing that a classmate or a teacher will definitely have a spare that you can use.

In any case, it’s always better to be the person being asked if you have a spare rather than the person needing one.

The Online Drugstore has you covered for every type of pen or pencil you need ahead of the new school year:

• Depending on the type of pen you like using, these retractable erasable gel pens or our simple ballpoint pens are a winner.
• A multipack of pencils will ensure you never get caught short. Go for this multipack of mechanical pencils if you want to avoid buying – and then losing – a pencil sharpener.
• Understanding key concepts and information is vital to acing your assignments and end-of-year exams, and this pack of highlighters ensures you'll always know where to look on every page of your textbooks.
• A Ultra fine Sharpie is always a wise choice if you need marker pens for art.

2. Notebooks

Sure, it can be frustrating still having to submit handwritten work, but not having a notebook isn’t going to pass as an excuse or a passport to being able to use your laptop!

Luckily, buying high-quality notebooks is easy at The Online Drugstore. This aptly named “Neatbook” will keep your handwriting tidy and will fit neatly inside your bag. We'll let the reviews at the bottom of the page tell you everything you need to know about that one!

A great alternative is this college ruled subject notebook, which is excellent as a planning aid as well as for writing itself.

3. Planner

Speaking of planning aids, if you need to schedule a study session or a reminder of when specific assignments are due, this mini magnetic planner board is excellent for sticking on a desk, noticeboard, or the front of your refrigerator.

Likewise, if you're a parent or teacher, having a planner like this can help you know where your children will be before and after school or what to mark ahead of the next day's lessons.

4. USB Flash Drive

If you're lucky enough to complete at least some assignments on your computer, the last thing you want to happen is to have to handwrite it because you've forgotten your USB flash drive.

Add this USB Flash Drive to your shopping cart now to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

5. Calculator

People of a certain age will probably be able to tell stories of when their teachers told them that being good at math was essential because they wouldn't always have a calculator with them!

But as your smartphone calculator is probably off-limits in the classroom and certainly in the exam hall, an old-school calculator is still a back-to-school essential.

Our mini calculator and deluxe desktop calculator are excellent buys for the new year!

6. Healthy Snacks

Outside of learning, one of the most significant challenges of the school day is keeping your energy levels relatively consistent from start to finish.

While what you eat for breakfast and lunch will play a role here, healthy snacks in your backpack or desk drawer can ensure that if you feel hungry, you're fueling your body and mind with something that won't lead to a crash in an hour.

Stock up early on healthy snacks like nuts and trail mixes.

7. Post-It Notes

If you’re working on a complex assignment or are struggling to bring multiple ideas together, you sometimes need a little more than a page in your notebook.

This is where Post-It notes prove their worth, enabling you to write different ideas and organize them across your desk, whiteboard, or wall, identifying links and opportunities to expand on what you want to say as you go.

Make your assignment writing and project planning even more efficient this academic year!

8. Deodorant and Antiperspirant

Whether you're the captain of the lacrosse team or weekly gym class is the worst hour of your week, you'll always want to feel as fresh as possible afterward.

Having a deodorant or antiperspirant in your school bag is always a good idea – and if it stays hot into the fall, you may use it more than you thought.

Stuck on which one to choose? Check out our guide to deodorants and antiperspirants for people who sweat a lot.

Get all your supplies for back to school here at The Online Drugstore!

Whether it’s academic supplies, personal care products, or over-the-counter medication to keep allergies at bay, we've got everything you need to prepare yourself or a loved one for going back to school – or to help students who missed something on their back-to-school list! Given the incredibly low prices you'll always get here, you never have to run in store for your back-to-school essentials!

Why not register for an account with us to capitalize on our rewards program and potentially enjoy even more significant savings, too?

Enjoy the rest of your summer break – and have a fun and successful academic year ahead!