Must-have essentials to stay organized

The spring semester has barely begun, and, already, it feels like a vicious cycle of torture—an endless battle of homeworks, projects, and tests. Between juggling extracurriculars and academics, trying to survive seems impossible. But the truth is, life does not have to be so overwhelming. With the proper stationery items, you will be well-equipped with the organization skills necessary to tackle whatever obstacle that blocks your way. Because let’s be real, those “energy” drinks (Celcius, anyone?) are not going to cut it…. And neither is sacrificing your social life, mental sanity, and overall well-being. 

1. Spiral Notebooks

Clairefontaine Wirebound Notebooks (source)

Imagine this: you are sitting in class, working attentively, and suddenly forget the steps to a math problem. BOOM, what do you do? Well, the logical answer is to flip back and review. But something is in the way: your Composition Notebook’s hard spine. It is inflexible, inconvenient, and just utterly annoying. In contrast, the spiral notebook lies flatly and turns beautifully with ease. Not to mention that the pages are essentially loose-leaf papers binded with a coil. What more can you ask for? Save your friend in the moment of unpreparedness, and, more importantly, yourself from witnessing the death of your old, flimsy notebook. Buy now, with the link provided!

2. Washi Tape

YOHAKU Original Washi Tape (source)

Now that you have gotten over that notebook hump, there seems to be another issue at hand. You are looking down and…. it is just destructive CHAOS. Arrows point to the left, scribbles fly across the page, and in the center, is one giant block of words. This is where washi tape becomes an organizational superhero! Not only is it incredibly practical, as it helps to divide and  color-code notes, but it is aesthetic! If you are anything like me, seeing a uniform set of notes that are wonderfully formatted is deeply satisfying and gets me in the right mindset to study, or in other words, “lock-in”. 

3. Dual-Tip Highlighters 

Midliner Dual-Tip Highlighters (source)

Okay, now the chaos is under control. Everything looks organized, and you can finally breathe. Well… your notes are jumbled, and in the worst case scenario, NEON. What a crime scene! This is why dual-tip highlighters are absolutely revolutionary. Unlike standard highlighters that can be overpowering and just wayyyy too blinding, these come with a chisel tip for thicker strokes AND a finer tip for precise underlining. On top, these do not bleed through the page, smear, and are quick-drying—the perfect addition to spice up your class notes or English annotations. 

4. Correction Tape 

Tombow MONO Correction Tape (source)

Nice! Your notes are looking like a clear spring day! But… disaster strikes AGAIN! You are writing the perfect definition and a well-thought out explanation, until suddenly, you misspell a word. Whether it is “schedule” or “guarantee”, you know subconsciously that a mistake was made. There are two viable options now: either suffer the pain or turn to your best friend, white-out! This is where the magic of erasing ink comes in. Not only does this stationery item work like a charm, gliding effortlessly across the page, but it is smooth and instant. NO wait-time, no incorrect equations, and no misplaced sentences. Save yourself the hassle, and be sure to get this underrated gem!

5. Apple Pencil Case

AhaStyle Silicon Case for Apple Pencil (source) 

Oops there’s anoth—wait… how are we not done?! Do not worry, I did not forget about my online note-takers! How could I? The list would not be complete without this item. If your Apple Pencil is constantly falling out of your hands, it is imperative that you buy a silicon case, a definite UPGRADE. This product has a comfortable (squishy) grip that makes taking notes more natural, all while protecting your precious $130 stylus from scratches, dust, and those tip-killing drops. Secure AND stylish? That is one lifesaving combo! 

And just like that, you are no longer walking through the trenches or holding on with angst. With the proper stationery items, you are not just surviving, but thriving. That being said, it is time to wave GOODBYE to our messy notes and welcome a convenient, efficient, and just a tad bit more aesthetic life. :) 

So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to embrace organization and zoom through the semester!