Back to School Supplies

Part of getting ready for the new academic year involves stocking up on necessary supplies. Some of the suggestions we’ve covered before at ProfHacker include:

• Joshua Roth’s guest post Preparing to Teach: Road Warrior Edition
• Heather’s What’s in Your Desk?
• Heather’s What Is Your Bag?
• George’s system for organizing his teaching supplies and keys
• Jason’s reflections On overvaluing office supplies

As I’ve mentioned previously, as a child I always loved getting the list of required school supplies and making the trip to the store to stock up on fresh new pencils and notebooks. Today, as an adult, my back to school supplies include both standard office supplies and some other items to make sure my teaching bag and campus office are semester-ready. My back to school list includes school supplies and office supplies.

School supplies

• Black n’Red hardcover notebooks
• Bold point retractable Uniball Jetstream pens

• binder clips

• ruled index cards

• dry erase markers (which I wrap in rubber bands thanks to George’s excellent tip)

• whiteboard eraser

Supplies for my campus office

• tissues

• hand sanitizer

• alcohol swabs (I use them for cleaning hands and objects like cell phone, keyboard, pens that have been shared, etc)

• ibuprofen

• teabags

• protein bars

• electrolyte powder

• change for the vending machine

• an extra mug (for the days I forget to bring mine back after washing it)

• an extra spoon and fork (for the days I forget to pack flatware with my lunch)

• I’ll also bring home my office blanket and sweater to launder them before the semester starts.

What are your essential back to school supplies? Let us know in the comments! [Creative Commons licensed image by flickr user JD Hancock]