25 Back-To-School Products You'll Want To Buy Even If You're Not In School
You don't have to be in school to enjoy a back-to-school shopping spree.
We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A pack of colored gel pens for note-taking and bullet-journaling.
Promising review: "To all my fellow pen-lovers out there, these pens are PHENOMENAL. They are very fine-tip and do not smear or bleed through, which I love and often do not find in a gel pen. They are great for taking notes, and I wish I could buy a pack just of black ones because they surpass other pens in my book." —Amazon Customer
Get a 20-pack from Amazon for $13.99.
2. A ~fin-tastic~ shark stapler your co-workers will want to steal off your desk.
Get it from ModCloth for $14.
3. A sturdy and stylish backpack that'll come in handy for both work and travel.
It fits a 14-inch laptop.
Promising review: "Just returned from an overseas trip in which I used this backpack as my day bag, and it performed great. With a larger bag as my carry-on and this as my personal item, there was no need to check luggage. It's well-made and resembles the similar but more expensive Herschel backpacks. Reasons I'm giving this bag five stars: quality materials and craftsmanship, perfect size for day trips (like a more convenient and versatile handbag), and small enough to count as your personal item when flying." —NV
Get it from Amazon for $27.89 (available in 18 colors).
4. A set of ~paw-some~ pens to make filling out forms a little less boring.
Promising review: "How cute are these! I bought these to have on hand to make me smile when I was feeling down. They are certainly a pick-me-up. I shared a few with some of my friends, and they also loved them." —KrazyKatLady
Get four-pack from Amazon for $5.69.
5. An organic cotton lunch bag for a cute and eco-friendly way to bring a sandwich to work.
It has a wipeable, water-resistant lining.
Promising review: "This is just the cutest lunch bag! It fits my square Rubbermaid containers perfectly, and the lined inside part keeps spills from ruining the outside. You can pull the liner out (it does stay attached to the bag) to rinse it if something does leak. There's a snap on the handle, too, which keeps things in if it happens to tip over in the car. I've had so many compliments on this lunch bag!" —AAJ0102
Get it from Amazon for $21.50 (available in two sizes, 14 designs, and a larger size). Or, check out a cheaper option.
6. A pair of acrylic rose gold scissors because a regular ol' pair just won't cut it.
Promising review: "A friend who knows my love of copper gave me a stapler that is acrylic and copper. That started my quest to redecorate my desk, and these scissors matched perfectly! They are as sharp-cutting as they are sharp-looking!"—T. Fulford
Get them from Amazon for $14 (available in two colors).
7. A pretty planner that might encourage you to sit down and get your to-dos in order.
This 13-month planner spans from July 2018 to August 2019.
Get it from Anthropologie for $22. And check out our picks for the best planner on BuzzFeed Reviews.
8. A pack of dual-ended highlighters so you can draw neon rainbows on a cloudy Monday.
Promising review: "I love these! They're so cute and make work a little less bleak. Also, I've been using the purple one daily for a month, and it shows no sign of drying up. Honestly, these are so cheap, just give yourself a smile with your new adorable highlighters." —Shopping Maven
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $3.99.
9. An expanding file folder for organizing anything from receipts to important documents.
Promising review: "I bought this folder to keep our family documents organized and in one place. There are just the right amount of tabs for our birth certificates, passports, social security cards, car titles, will, etc. This folder is small enough that you can lock it in a home safe or safety deposit box. I let a couple family members know where I keep this so that they can access it in case of an emergency. It is such a relief knowing that all these things are together and organized. I’m glad I bought this." —Katie Bee
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in eight colors).
10. A noodle bowl because instant ramen will still be a part of your post-graduation diet.
This bowl comes with a pair of chopsticks.
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $14 (available in three colors).
11. A pack of note dividers you probably used in school — they'll continue to come in handy for project notes (and other work-related things).
Promising review: "I use these dividers in my bullet journal in lieu of a key or index. They work perfectly. I actually laminated them and attached them with decorative washi tape because I literally use it every day and didn't want the paper to wear out. I'm sure they would work without doing this, but I'm a little lamination obsessed. LOL." —PDiddy
Get a 60-pack from Amazon for $3.71.
12. A pack of watercolor succulent stickers sure to ~prickle~ your fancy.
Promising review: "They look super cute on my laptop and work great as cute stickers for my planner!" —Ethel Gallardo
Get a 28-pack from Amazon for $8.99.
13. A matte-finish wildflower case for giving your trusty MacBook a fresh AF makeover.
Promising review: "This case is so perfect! I love that it's transparent so the silver of my laptop peeks through. It's a smooth matte, almost like a frosted glass case with a floral pattern printed on top. It doesn't feel sticky or anything like that since it's matte. Pictures are spot on. Definitely a must-buy!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $15.98 (available in six models and eight designs).
14. A peachy duvet set because you deserve some new bedding even if you're not moving into a dorm room.
The Twin XL size includes a duvet cover, one pillowcase, and a tote bag; the Full/Queen size includes a duvet cover, two pillowcases, and a tote bag. It's made of 80% cotton and 20% polyester.
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $59+ (available in two sizes).
15. A ~dino-mite~ T-rex sticky note set sure to catch your coworker's attention. (Use them for don't-touch-my-lunch notes.)
This set comes with one sticky notepad and two packs of sticky tabs.
Get it from ModCloth for $15.
16. A unicorn tape dispenser that'll look positively magical in your home office.
This set includes the dispenser and three rolls of tape.
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $15.
17. Or, a pack of pretty washi tapes for decorating greeting cards, journals, gifts, scrapbooks, etc.
18. A stainless steel travel mug because hydration is important no matter what age you are.
It can keep hot drinks at 190 degrees for one hour and163 degrees for six hours, and it can keep cold drinks at 46 degrees for six hours. There's a five-year warranty on heat retention. The safety lock prevents the lid from opening accidentally. It's made of BPA-free plastic and stainless steel.
Promising review: "After noticing a lot of people carrying the Zojirushi stainless steel thermoses while traveling abroad, I came back home and immediately ordered one for myself. I can see why so many people bought this particular thermos — it keeps drinks HOT for a really long time, is lightweight, doesn't leak, and it comes apart easily to wash. I love this mug so much that it's become my new 'take with me everywhere' go to mug! The thermos holds 16 ounces (two cups) which is just shy of the amount in most bottles of water. The main body of the bottle is metal while the cap and drinking spout are plastic. The drinking spout can be pushed out for easy cleaning, and the mouth of the bottle is wide enough to allow a sponge to go in to clean the interior of the bottle. I poured in hot water into the bottle at the beginning of the morning and when I popped it open to drink by noon, the water was still extremely hot. Water poured into the bottle will remain hot for practically the entire day. I once left water in the bottle overnight, and the water was still warm when I woke up in the morning. I'm not sure how something so lightweight could be so insulated — but it works! The lid is opened easily with a push of the silver button, and the unit can be locked so you don't accidentally open the bottle in your purse or bag. Even despite being tossed into my purse with keys, pens, and other little sharp items, the bottle has not shown any signs of scratching. Overall, this is an attractive thermos that keeps beverages hot (or cold!) extremely well. I would definitely buy this thermos again." —KttyKat16
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three sizes and 12 colors).
19. A fuzzy Totoro pen holder you'll want to pet all the time.
20. An adorable pencil pouch others might mistake for a milk carton.
Promising review: "I was skeptical at first since it took a while to get here, but I’ve had it for months now and it’s great. It holds so much and no matter how many times I smooshed it and it thrashed around my bag, it’s fine. Super good product." —Kennedy Carranza
Get it from Amazon for $1.95 (available in three colors).
21. A box of paper clips ~turtle-ly~ worth shelling out for.
Promising review: "Adorable little clips that make opening my notebook a little less terrible. They hold a good bit of paper and are great to see rather than bland old paper clips." —Samantha Kotzum
Get a 30-pack for $5.44.
22. And a magnetic sheep that'll do a ~woolly~ great job at holding all your paperclips.
Promising review: "Went on a little shopping spree on Amazon for my office and ended up buying this. Didn't expect much from it as it's just a sheep, but what I got was the most functional object in my office. In love with this product and its capabilities." —Anthony Russell
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
23. A pack of adorable page flags sure to put a smile on your face when you're ~feline~ blue.
Promising review: "I have been using my cat stickies for a bookmark. I gave a set to a friend at work (as there are three packs in a package), and she’s been putting them on lots of things in the office to remember to go back and look at. They’re adorable and just make me happy." —rahutsell
Get a 360-pack from Amazon for $7.39.
24. A super cool mini fridge disguised as Marshall speakers + amps you'll wish you had in college.
25. A notebook that accurately describes a procrastinator's internal monologue.
Get it from ModCloth for $9.
You, after seeing all this cute stuff:
Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Can't get enough of cute school supplies? Check these out:
* 16 Of The Best Places To Order School Supplies Online
* 26 School Supplies Under $10 That Are Actually Worth Your Money
* 29 School Supplies That'll Make You Happy To Be In Class
* 29 Of The Cutest School And Office Supplies To Ever Exist, Ever
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
