Neelam xx

Summer is quickly coming to an end and I am getting ready to begin my second year at uni.. I always look forward to starting a fresh year in September, partly because I get to see my friends basis but mainly because I have a genuine excuse to go stationary shopping! I am the biggest sucker for the 'back 2 school' deals that are always lingering around in August and I will purchase things I probably already own but I get so excited over buying new pens and fresh notebooks - yes, it's the little things in life. So I thought I would share with you what I bought to start off my second year. The things I got are pretty much basic essentials, so this post can also relate to any of you who are starting a new year at high school or college (6th form).


You nay recognise a few familiar faces from my Revision Tips 101 post that I did a few months back.. but I simply could not resist repurchasing them because they were so useful (and pretty)! For those of you who haven't read that post, I love to use the sticky notes page to jot down any notes or important information that I need to remember. I love that the page has a variety of sizes so that I can go from making a tab on my textbook or writing an important formula on a bigger piece. My previous page is still going, with just a few sticky notes left and that one is a good year or so old! I love that they have ring binder holes punched along the side so I can easily carry it around in my bag without getting sticky notes everywhere!

The Staedtler coloured pens are something that I found more useful when it came down to revising for my A levels. I like to add a bit of colour every now and then just so it makes it more interesting to read in the future. These pens are so lovely to write with, they are super comfortable which is handy if like me, you try to write what your teacher/tutor says as they say it - never a good idea by the way! I also love the colour payoff of these pens, they're bright and nice to use when poster-making.

Now I only found notebooks particularly useful whilst being at uni.. simply becuase in high school we were given exercise books to write in and in 6th form we used lined paper to put in our folders. Of course you can continue to use these methods in uni, which is sometimes easier when you have a nice tutor that dishes out a pile of handouts in every lecture, but I prefer the use of notebooks when I'm doing my personal note-taking. I try and keep my notebooks neat, so I take notes on handouts and loose paper and then write what I really need down in my notebook. This year my modules are mainly coursework based, so I won't be needing to write as many revision notes as last year - so I thought A5 notebooks would be handy and easy to carry around. Before I continue, can we all just take a moment to appreciate just how beautiful the WHSmith exclusive Pukka Pads are?!!! I'm in love! They are so bright and so vintage that I just could not resist buying! (There's a bunch of other products in this range too!). You simply cannot go wrong with Pukka pads, the quality is great but they can be a bit pricey. I normally only buy them when there is some sort of offer going on.

Sticking with high quality paper, the Oxford Campus notebook and Reflil Pads are just perfection! The paper is thick and smooth and is a dream to write on. In 6th form, my friends would always ask to borrow some paper from my refill pad because they all loved it too - watch out for that! I got mine from Tesco as they normally have them on offer around this time of year. They also go down cheaper than the Pukka pads do! The only downside is that the packaging isn't as nice as the Pukka pads, they tend to have the basic colours, but believe me when I say once you touch this paper, you won't even care!

A quick boring one, I also picked up a set of Tesco's Retractable Ballpoint pens. They're pretty standard but I just find them easier to write with and the padding around the bottom doesn't dent your fingers! They last a long time and are not too bulky for exam/essay writing. They're cheap and reliable - you can't go wrong!

I never realised just how much a calander can help until last year! I had a massive year poster last year, but this time I decided to go for something a little smaller and got the Academic Wall Calendar from WHSmith. I like the idea that you can rip off a whole or half a month as you're going. I tend to write down deadlines or important events down so that I don't forget. It's sometimes nice to see everything in one place so that you know what's coming up.

Last but not least, is another beautifully neon product, WHSmith's Academic A6 Fluorescent Orange PVC diary. AHH how I love this diary! Last year I got a chunky diary which I stupidly thought I'd take to uni everyday but it was way to heavy to carry alongside my piles of notes and notebooks! So this year I decided to get a mini version that I could slip into any bag and carry around with me. I really want to get into the habbit of writing down deadlines and assignments down into the diary as after spending a few hours in the hot stuffy lecture rooms, I tend to forget the small details. I tried putting that information on my phone but as soon as I pull it out I get distracted and end up on Instagram or Twitter! I can never find things in my bag so hopefully it's brightness will make that a little easier for me!

A lot of the things I already had, like the basic ring binders and highlighters. They're definitley essentials for me but I went overboard with them last year so I was forced to resist. If you would like to see my essentials for revision then check out my Revision Tips 101 post. There are some great deals at Tesco and WHSmith, but try and get hold of the 20% voucher for August at WHSmith. They give it out for pretty much every purchase and you can buy pretty much everything with it - of course there's T&C's that apply but luckily it doesn't effect stationary!

Otherwise, I hope you have enjoyed this post. I would love to hear what great finds you got for September and for all those who starting at a new place or simply a new year, I wish you all the best for the following academic year.

Lots of love Neelam xxx