Back to School Supply List for Pen Enthusiasts [2025]

It's that time of year again and back-to-school is upon us. In this post, you'll find a current list of our must-have writing tools for students. These items provide utility, value, and excitement to use. After all, studying with quality tools is far more productive and fun.

Tom and Phoebe wrote the original school supply list in 2021. Since many of those suggestions still apply today, you can watch the video below to start and then read on to find additional, updated items to get students ready for the coming school year.

In developing this school supply list, we made each suggestion based on three criteria:

• Limited budget - students typically have many expenses (tuition, books, dorm living) and limited income. Hey, you have to eat!
• Quality item built to last - because you shouldn't have to sacrifice quality for cost.
• Makes work, studying, and writing fun - these items put the "fun" in function.

Regardless of whether you're shopping for middle school or college school supplies, these writing essentials are great for all ages. Even if you're already out of school and working, you can still enjoy the benefits of these excellent writing tools and accessories.

Lamy AL-Star Mechanical Pencils - starting at $24.00

• Collection is well known for its fountain pens, but don't sleep on the other, less expensive modes like the mechanical pencil
• Aluminum exterior barrel with translucent plastic grip section
• Push-top lead advancing mechanism
• 0.5mm leads
• Eraser underneath the push top.

Lamy 2000 4-color multi-pen - $99, $79.20 sale

• German-made, textured makrolon finish w/ stainless steel front section.
• Push-action mechanism that uses gravity to select the various color inserts.
• Spring-loaded clip.

Retro 51 Tornado - starting at $25.60

• Many styles available - Dr. Grey - human skeleton, Dmitri - periodic table, Albert - equation for E=MC2, Space Shuttle Discovery.
• Twist-top rollerball pen uses gel ink rollerball or parker-style ballpoint cartridges.
• Several designs are also available as a mechanical pencil
• Collectible limited editions

Pilot Dr. Grip - starting at $10.58

• Ergonomic gel grip provides comfort for those who get calluses on their fingers.
• Commended for ease-of-use by the Arthritis Foundation
• Writes with smear-resistant, archival ink

Cross Click - starting at $21.95

• Slender profile characteristic to Cross fine writing instruments
• Lacquer over brass construction gives an impression of distinction
• Convenient click action retractable mechanism.

Now, you didn't think we would put together a back to school supply list and not include any fountain pens, did you? Since most US schools do not focus on penmanship in their curriculum (so sad), it is unlikely that today's students get the chance to write with a fountain pen. It's a shame because they are missing out on one of the most pleasurable, personal writing experiences that will make note taking and essay writing infinitely more enjoyable.

For the beginners and the budget conscious, TWSBI offers an inexpensive fountain pen that gives the writer plenty of thrill in being able to properly care for their writing instrument. Watching the ink slosh around the barrel is plenty fun as well!

If your budget allows, one of our customers' all-time favorite fountain pens is a marvel of modern convenience. The Pilot Vanishing Point retractable fountain pen is a "quick draw" pen ideal for on-the-go notetaking and jotting.

Pilot Capless / Vanishing Point - starting at $176

• Convenient, retractable 18kt gold fountain pen nib
• Includes Pilot proprietary cartridge/converter (CON-40)
• EF, F, M nib sizes (1.0 mm stub also available on certain models)
• If you prefer a slimmer, slightly lighter pen, there's the Decimo version
• Phoebe's personal favorite. Goldspot is sending her off to college with this pen!

If you prefer the less traditional, hybrid approach to using analog and digital in your studies, the following ballpoint pen and stylus combo might be the "write" pen for you.

Rhodia Pads

• Formats for ideas of all sizes.
• Smooth, 80gsm French-milled paper.
• Perforations make it easy to remove pages.
• Blank, steno, graph, dot grid, or lined pages.

Paper is important because fountain pens use liquid ink and tend to render lesser papers a bleeding, feathering mess. We discussed the difference between using good paper versus bad paper in the Notebooks for Fountain Pens video. In short, it’s not pretty if you use just any notebook you find at the school store.

At Goldspot, we offer a variety of fountain pen-friendly paper notebooks, notepads, and pocket notebooks. There are all types of notebook sizes, page formats, and bindings to best fit your system of note-taking and organization.

Find a notebook, or two or three, that you feel will best accommodate your semester’s workload.

To bring your writing supplies everywhere you study, we suggest investing in a good pen case. Below, you'll find affordable options to fit your everyday carry for the semester and beyond.

Rickshaw Pen Sleeves - starting at $19.00

• Featuring colorful prints and designs, some of which match certain pens.
• Super comfortable polyester plush lining keeps your pens snug and comfy.
• Made in San Francisco, USA

Galen Leather Zippered Notebook Folio - $66.70

• Holds an A6 size notebook and 5 pens
• Crafted with genuine leather dyed in several different colors
• Close the contents with the sturdy YKK zipper
• Made in Turkey

Conclusion

• Regardless of the tools, the curiosity to learn is the most important item you need to supply.
• Mistakes will be made, but that's what erasers (and extra paper) is for.
• Investing in yourself and your process always pays off.

Best of luck to all graduates moving up to higher education. We hope that this list helps outfit your tools for achieving great success.