“You have so many pens.”

If you know me, you probably have seen my little black bag full of writing utensils. Some would argue too many writing utensils, but honestly, when you forget your pen for notes or your No. 2 pencil for the exam, I’ll see you then. Yeah you, pen-less.

Since you all are probably wondering why I have so many, I’ve decided to come clean. Well, it’s because I love school supplies. School supplies could possibly be my version of crack cocaine. Notebooks, planners, highlighters. You name it, I’ve got it. Index cards? I can spare some. Post-it notes? You’ve got different colors to choose from. Metallic silver Sharpie? This one is brand new – plastic is still on.

You can pretty much call me a school supplies specialist, which is why I wanted to share some of my favorite back-to-school items.

Sydney’s School Supplies Essentials – College Edition

1. A planner.

If you are one of those people who says they don’t need a planner, I assume you’re lying and I already know we won’t be friends. Nowadays, you have so many options! Target has really stepped up their planner game and has some very nice ones, but if you’re as committed to the planning life as I am, I have three that will make you the most organized!

Erin Condren has become a household name for agendas. You can completely customize and personalize your covers (which are interchangeable), and you can pick what your actual inside set-up looks like! EC has awesome stationary supplies, too.

Even though I had an EC last year, I switched it up this time around. Ban.do has three different planner sizes with multiple different hardcover designs. Plus, it’s inside layout has encouraging quotes that aren’t overly cheesy. It’s too cute. I’m obsessed.

A planner I haven’t personally tried but is good for folks who need things coordinated to the hour is the Passion Planner. They even let you print out a test sheet that you can fill in to see if it’s something you’re interested in!

2. A really good set of pens.

The G2s are a classic favorite, but I love gel pens, too. Especially after you get your planner, you’ll want to color code all your subjects, jobs, and activities. Trust me, I sound crazy, but you’ll thank me when your life is put together.

3. A binder with clear dividers.

These dividers are fantastic for college. I put the syllabus in the sleeve so I’ve always got it right where I can see it, and then you can add labels if you need to. Fill the binder with some loose leaf paper and you’re good to go!

4. Highlighters.

Before you put the syllabus into the sleeve, you can highlight the important information you may need at a glance. Professor’s office hours, exams, or projects will stand out so you don’t waste precious seconds searching for a due date.

5. Mechanical pencils.

Don’t be the person who needs to ask for a pencil when it comes to exam time! These ones come in a pack of two, with extra erasers AND lead. I believe in you!

6. A waterproof backpack.

I don’t know how I survived without a waterproof backpack. Honestly, I think growing up in Washington made me think everything came waterproof. So wrong. Either you can buy some waterproofing spray, or this backpack comes waterproofed already! I have it and really like it. It comes with some handy-dandy pockets and it keeps my laptop safe!

7. These cool sticky notes.

I may have accidentally stumbled across these while searching Amazon, but how cool are they?! Instead of using a bunch of post-its just to have them stick out and get bent, these COME WITH A TAB! How did we not come up with this sooner?!

8. A glass water bottle (SAVE THE WORLD).

Reduce your plastic use with a glass water bottle!

9. Thermos for coffee.

This goes without saying. Early morning classes, long nights at the library -- you deserve to have your coffee just the way you like it.

So there it is. I basically just shopped for all you’ll need this year. You’re welcome. I’ll wait until the applause dies down. Flowers? For me? You shouldn’t have! Of course I’ll sign your baby’s head!

Whatever this year brings, you are going to be ready. The pen is mightier than the sword. Especially if it’s sparkly.