At no extra cost to you, College Raptor may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Whether you’re in high school or college, when it comes to school you’ll have to study for your classes. To craft the perfect study session, it helps to have the proper materials to keep you focused and ready to learn. We’ve scoured Amazon for some of the most liked, best study supplies that can help you focus and learn!
Pencils
Can’t go wrong with the classics. Nothing says “school” or “studying” quite like a yellow #2 pencil. Ticonderoga offers sets from 2 to 180 pre-sharpened pencils. Some sets come with extra erasers, others come with pencil sharpeners, either way, you’re covered.
Of course, you could always go the more modern route and use mechanical pencils. The tried and true BIC has mechanical pencils that never need sharpened, are easy to refill, and come in a variety of colors. The bundles come with erasers, too.
Pens
No doubt you’ve used one of these popular pens before. BIC promises a smooth and consistent writing experience with these ballpoints. Packs come in sets of 3 to a whopping 144. You definitely won’t run out of these pens anytime soon.
If you’re anything like me, you may prefer to add a little color to your note-taking. Not only does color make things pop and keep you engaged, but you can color-code for easier memorization too. Zebra Pen has you covered with an assortment of colors—red, black, blue, green, teal, fuchsia, violet, and orange.
For a slightly different feel, why not try felt tip? Paper Mate has a line of felt-tip pens that won’t bleed through the paper, smudge, or fade—ideal for note-taking. You can stick with classic black or opt for the creatively-titled colored options (including raspberry fizz and orchid lei).
Note Cards
Ah, notecards—the ultimate studying classic. Whether you’re making a traditional flash-card to study vocabulary, or creating lists of dates to memorize, notecards are a must-have. This 100-count pack of white heavy-weight index cards from 975 Supply will give you all the cards you need.
These Oxford ruled-index cards will deliver both function and fashion. Coming in bright yellow, orange, green, and pink, you can use these cards to color-code your studying by subject or type.
Colored headers, plus ruled lines, plus a hole-punch combines to make the ideal notecard. Simply fit a ring into your set of cards for easy studying and organization. The cards from Debra Dale Designs come in 10 colors (50 each), 3 sizes, with punched and non-punched options.
Highlighters
Highlighters are ideal for marking important dates, concepts, vocabulary, or quotes for homework or school projects. Sharpie’s highlighters can do just that, but also underline and write notes with their thin chisel tip. As a bonus, they come in an array of colors and are smear-proof.
Fluorescent yellow is hard to miss, which is why it’s so perfect for marking important sections in your textbooks, notes, and papers. Avery’s hi-liters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. These sturdy hi-liters won’t dry out easily, even if you “leave the cap off for a week.” Get 1 or up to 36 for all your highlighting needs.
Book Tabs
Losing your spot in a book is beyond frustrating, especially when you’re studying or writing a research paper—fortunately, that can be solved with Post-it tabs. These sticky flags can mark the important pages without any damage, and with 4 colors can be used to signify different things. Use blue for questions you have, yellow for important quotes, or purple for new vocab words.
Tabs are all well and good, but what if you need to mark a specific point on a page? These arrow-tipped flags can do just that, reminding you which sentence you wanted to quote in your research paper, or where you left off in your Shakespeare book. Best of all, these flags are transparent and won’t cover up any info.
Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is key to staying focused, which is why it’s handy to keep a water bottle on your table while you’re studying. This 32oz Embrava is designed for athletes, but it will work just as well for a study marathon. It even comes with a quote to keep your motivation up: “Fortune favors the brave.”
The last thing you want with a water bottle around notes and books is leakage or runny condensation—which is why these Simple Modern water bottles have anti-leak and sweat-proof technology. They come in multiple sizes and a dizzying 40+ colors / patterns, which means you can definitely find one that matches your style.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
Some students prefer silence, others prefer a bit of music while studying. Either way, noise-canceling headphones are a great way to manage ambient sound in your study area. These COWIN headphones will do just that while delivering crisp music. It also comes with a built-in microphone and Bluetooth capable functions with a 30-hour battery life.
Study Snacks
Easily the best part of studying is the motivational snacks. Finish a section? Enjoy a small treat. Hunger keeping you from focusing? Pop open a bag. This package from CraveBox is a one-stop-shop of snacks both salty and sweet. There are over 40 snacks packed in—including Cheez-Its, Air Heads, Quaker’s granola bars, Welch’s Fruit Snacks, and so much more.
There are several scientific studies that show chewing gum aids in memorization. Experts fluctuate on whether it’s because of increased oxygen flow or stimulating the hippocampus, but either way, it can’t hurt! These Eclipse gum pieces come in a convenient carry case, and are sugar-free so you won’t crash midway through your study session.
Use College Raptor to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the US—for FREE!