Choose School Supplies for Middle School

You don't know what school supplies to get for the first day of middle school? You lost your list, or your school didn't give you one? Here are some basic school essentials that you will probably need for middle school or junior high.

Steps

  1. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. See what you have left over from last year, or check with older siblings, cousins or friends to see if you can get some of the materials from them. There is no reason to junk up the earth by buying new stuff while perfectly useful items are discarded.
  2. Look online. Consult the Internet to see if your school has a school supplies list on their web page. If not, then just go to your local store, like Target, K-Mart, or Walmart. Local schools may have lists posted at these stores at the beginning of the school year.
  3. Brainstorm. Make a list of the school supplies that you think you need. Usually schools give you a supply list, but if yours doesn't or you lost the list, create your own! Think about the essentials that you need when creating your list. Here are some basic essentials that most schools have on the list:
    • A lock (unless your school's lockers have locks preinstalled.) Master locks are the best working locks out there! Combination locks are also quite handy. Just don't tell anyone the combination!
    • A few binders (recommended: a two inch, three ring binder).
    • Dividers to organize materials and papers for each class.
    • Supply case to fit in your three-ring binder.
    • 12 sharpened pencils.
    • A pencil sharpener.
    • A twelve-inch (30 centimeter) ruler.
    • Two to four packs of notebook paper. Keep one in your backpack and the others at home for when you run out. You can get either college ruled or wide ruled, it doesn't matter in most schools.
    • A notebook for each academic class you will have. Buy a backup, they don't always last all year.
    • Scissors.
    • Pens.
    • A soft pencil case. Don't get a plastic one because it might break.
    • Eraser caps to put on your pencils.
    • A chapter book from the library. You may need to have a book with you. Some schools prefer that you don't read manga or comic books, but you can still bring one for the bus.
    • 1 or 2 spiral notebooks, single subject.
    • Colored pencils, sharpened.
    • Two highlighters. Any colors are good, choose non-toxic ones if you can.
    • A sturdy backpack.
    • Calculator. You won't need this on the first day, and should probably wait to find out what type your teacher recommends.
    • Mini stapler.
    • Planner to organize homework.
    • One flash key. Get a 1GB or a 2GB flash key. Also called a USB drive or a flash drive, they have them at Office Max and Office Depot. External hard drives may also be used.
    • A lanyard. You may get a student ID in some schools and you put it on the lanyard and wear it around your neck.
  4. Set a date for school shopping to get everything you need. It will be easier for your parents and you.
  5. Start earning money now in case you want to buy fancy versions of something your parents are not willing to spring for. A fancy folder with a picture of your favorite movie star might cost ten to twelve times as much as a plain basic folder. You don't expect your parents to pay for the upgrades.
  6. Make school supply shopping fun! Take a group of friends with you or take a look at Make School Supply Shopping Fun for ideas.

Tips

  • Try to look for sales in your local stores.There's lots of sales for "Back To School"!
  • Make sure that what you buy will last for the whole or at least half the school year.
  • Don't wait until the last minute to buy anything.
  • You don't need too much stuff! Never over-pack! Also make room in your budget for some back to school clothes!
  • Look in the ads for shopping deals. School supplies may be very cheap at specific places and some are more expensive, so be sure to check the ads for deals and you'll save a lot of money.
  • Try buying something like a plain notebook or binder and using duct tape and stickers to customize it.
  • Teachers usually give you a list of all the supplies you need for Middle School (For example notebook,crayons, 2 blue pens etc..).
  • If your teacher doesn't mention what school supplies you will need on the first day, you might want to consider talking to them after class to see what you need and what you don't need
  • Reuse your old crayons if they are still in good shape.

Warnings

  • You may overlook something if you do not have the complete list of school supplies, so be prepared to return to the store after your first day of class.

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