Call me nerdy, but I place great care onto my pencil bag, specifically in its contents; it’s been a persistent problem for me throughout my high school career. Before you judge me for my eccentricity, imagine if you had to empty out an overstuffed pencil pouch and rummage through a pile of pens in order to find an evasive eraser. It would be absolutely frustrating.
To find a solution, I’ve had to determine what my bare necessities are, and place aside the other superfluous stationery. Not to brag, but I’m confident to say that I’ve concocted the perfect formula for my scholarly activities.
Essential No. 1: mechanical pencil and eraser
The Pilot Dr. Grip Shaker Mechanical Pencil with 0.5 mm lead has been a staple in my bag since freshman year. For $6.60, the model provides lead that can be extended by shaking the pencil, which saves you from using your thumb to push down the lead. I’ve found it to have a smooth writing experience that’s also very comfortable, thanks to its gel grip. As a result of losing the pencil multiple times over the years, I’ve purchased the pencil more than six times; I just can’t settle for any other pencil.
To pair with the Pilot pencil, I also have my trusty Hi-Polymerase eraser. This eraser doesn’t smear or leave a mess of eraser residues on your desk. As a bonus, it comes with a smooth cover that gives you grip if you find yourself erasing furiously during a test.
Essential No. 2: Uni Ball Super Ink Plus Pens
Pen and paper is an old saying that holds true. Note-taking just feels different with pens. There is quite nothing like writing with a thick, luscious pen that smoothly leaves your letters neatly strewn across the page.
My favorite is the Uni Ball Super Ink Plus. This pen rolls smoothly across the page like no other and has a fast drying speed. The ink is also intensely black, with a beautiful viscosity.
I also have another tri-colored pen from Muji with blue, red and black ink. When correcting tests or taking notes, I’m able to quickly switch between different colors, which allows me to color code my notes and ensure I’m able to grasp key concepts when reviewing. The pen has a sleek design that’s compact as well, which saves a lot of space in my bag.
My bag contains two pens that have a cat face-shaped cap, just to add a touch of cuteness. They’re my thinnest pens yet, with a 0.38 mm tip. This allows me to have a more compact handwriting and it adds a Pinterest-style aesthetic to my bag.
Essential No. 3: Highlighters
Highlighters are the best tools for learning, and essential for note taking. It also adds a pop of color to my notes, which I’ve found helps me remember key points. I have two colors in my bag: blue and red. Both are from Zebra Mildliner.
There are also two tips available on the highlighter, one chiseled and one fine, which allows for more flexibility when highlighting my notes.
Neither of my highlighters is oversaturated, which allows my letters to retain visibility and prevents the color from bleeding to the other side of the page. I’ve always avoided highlighters that pop out with bright neon colors, so I prefer the pastel palette Zebra Mildliner highlighters have.
If there’s more space in your pouch…
In addition to my three essentials, I have a few accessory items as well, including a mini stapler and an x-acto knife.
Mini staplers come into good use when everyone else in the classroom is scrambling to get a hold of the class stapler. My mini stapler is from Daiso, and it works the same as a regular sized stapler. The best part is that it’s compact and barely takes up space in my bag.
I also have an x-acto from Muji in my pencil bag after I needed to use it to cut large pieces of paper for a school project. I’ve kept it in there ever since simply because I think it’s easier to use than a scissor when cutting paper.
Remember your three key stationery essentials: pencils, pens and highlighters. If you want to determine if other accessory stationary is a necessity, try to observe which stationery items you see yourself using more frequently; leave the items that you don’t use at home. Through trial and error, you can figure out your perfect pencil pouch so you’re set for school.
