Back to School shopping was always fun when I was a kid, and even today I still fondly remember the excitement of picking out new pens, pencils and notebooks. Now, as an adult when I look back at those seemingly archaic items and how excited I was about getting them, I cant help but question whether the excitement was just because of the fact that I got to have “new stuff” or were these stationery items really just that cool for the time period I was growing up in?
If I force myself to answer that question, I’d have to say that, these products really were some of the best and coolest out there, even as I sit here looking at them thinking to myself “how did I ever get by with that stuff?” Part of the reason I think these were some of the best products available is because many of them are still available in almost the same exact form today. It doesn’t take much looking around to find the Bic 4 color multi pen, the Bic stick pen with the blue cap, the Pilot Precise line of liquid ink pens or the classic Five Star notebooks with plastic covers.
Now as an adult with my school years long behind me, I get to use lots of even more cool and innovative stationery products, but I feel like something is missing. It is hard to imagine anything could be missing though when I’m lucky enough to have such awesome products like my Uniball Kuru Toga Mechanical Pencil, Sharpie Pen, Lamy Studio fountain pen, and Levenger Circa notebooks to help keep me organized and performing at the highest level possible at work. So it got me thinking, what was missing?
As I contemplated what could possibly be missing from my completely lavish stash of stationery products, I realized it didn’t have anything to do with the products themselves, it had everything to do with the process of buying them and what it all meant. It dawned on me that there is no longer a ritualistic stockpiling of an arsenal of unsharpened pencils, pristine notebooks and never opened packages of pens. There is instead a slow steady accumulation of “stuff” over time on more of an as needed basis. As an adult you don’t have that “clean slate” that you start with from year to year that is signified by your new stash of supplies.
Now that I’ve realized what it is thats missing, it surprises me that none of the major office supply stores have tried to generate some sort of “Back to Work” shopping season for us adults. Now sure it would be hard to do because there is no real “season” since we all start and end our employment on different schedules, however I think I might at least try and do this for myself to instill that “clean slate” feeling for my work year. Maybe if I save the majority of my office supply shopping for January of each year I’ll have my own personal little “back to school” feeling about things. Regardless of how I go about it though, one thing is for sure, and that is that I’ll probably spend way too much money on new office supplies, and a few years from now I’ll look back at how I ever managed to get anything done with these archaic tools.
As the calendar flips to September, kids are taking the first step on the school bus, students are being handed out their syllabuses and teachers are hurrying to complete their curriculum for the coming school year. The first day is always nerve-racking, yet exciting. Meeting your teachers and classmates for the first time, you quickly set expectations and get yourself prepared for the semester ahead.
Getting armed for the oncoming school year is always a daunting task. You ask yourself, "how many notebooks to I really need?" "How am I going to keep track of all the assignments, quizzes and tests?" "Will the teacher mind if I write in Dragon's Napalm Red?"
Not to worry, Goldspot is here to provide some helpful suggestions for your back-to-school supply shopping.
Before I start, lets set some ground rules : If the teacher hands out a checklist of specific items to purchase for the class, it is best to follow it to the "T." There is usually a rhyme to the reason and it will reflect better on your instruction-following skills if you come back the next class with every item on his or her checklist. The other rule would be to always have a pen handy that writes in blue or black ink for standardized tests. And I don't mean Ottoman Azure or Red-Black ink. Getting creative with your individuality is great for taking your own notes, but going outside the lines on important tests will cause problems on the report card.
On to the list : Firstly, lets get organized. Filofax offers a great system that can act both as a notebook, diary, address book and planner. Styles range from the luxurious, faux-alligator print leather to the sturdy, academic, vinyl covers. Their newest offering, the Filofax Mode, is a vinyl cover that features a punched, geometric pattern that shows off the contrasted interior color. A stretchy silicone band securely closes the organizer. With the purchase of any new Filofax organizer, you can expect a full complement of calendar, notepaper and other refills to get started. More refills, including all 2010 calendars (for current Filofax owners), are available for purchase on our website. It is always a good idea to stock up on extra notepaper and other organizational items that you can imagine yourself using (i.e. zip-lock envelope, hole punch, index tabs, etc). View the Filofax Mode Series Here and our Filofax refills Here.
As multi-tasking becomes the apparent necessity in our modern lives, we need a great multi-tasking tool to battle the onslaught of book reports, essays and term papers. One of my top selections for Multi-function pen is the Parker Executive. The style and function of the pen is reminiscent of the ever-popular Rotring 600's and Trio's that have been long discontinued. This pen is a workhorse and is exceptionally easy to operate. The selection system is gravity-based, which means that when you want to select a black color refill, you pick up the pen, look at the icon for "black" at the top of the clip and press down on the click-top. To retract the point, press the top of the spring-loaded clip. This ensures that you will never accidentally clip the pen to your shirt pocket without retracting the point. The Matte Black model uses a black refill, blue refill, 0.5mm pencil and an orange highlighter refill. The Shiny Chrome finish gives you an option between the orange highlighter an a touch-screen PDA stylus. Click Here to find the Parker Executives on our website.
A close runner-up to the Parker Executive would be the ACME 4FP series. Fun and functional, the "world's thinnest four-function pen" offers an array of eye-catching designs at a lower price ($39.00). The selection mechanics work on the same as in the Executive. Your refills are a black ballpoint, orange highlighter, 0.7mm pencil and PDA stylus. You can check out all of the styles Here.
A good, ergonomic pencil is always a useful tool, especially for those who make mistakes (it's OK, we all do). Keep the Dixon Ticonderoga #2 and a sharpener on the side for Scan-Tron tests, but when you are sketching out an algebraic equation, 2-point perspective or writing notes to your BFF a few seats ahead of you, pick up the Lamy Scribble. Available in both a 0.7mm pencil and a 3.15mm sketch pencil, the Scribble is a handy companion for both quick ideas and long sessions of writing (or drawing). Its removable clip and 4 3/4" size gives you the freedom to grip the Scribble any way you like. Starting at $27.95, you may find our Lamy Scribble selection Here.
Every backpack needs a ballpoint pen that won't quit, especially for pop quizzes or when all of your disposable Bic pens run out of ink. The Caran d'Ache Goliath ballpoint cartridge is heralded as being the best in the biz for longevity and smoothness. These cartridges can be found in the Cd'A Metal Collection. Select from over a dozen colors, including fluorescent, day-glo shades, metal-x colors and lacquer finishes. Starting at $15.95, they are so inexpensive, it is hard to buy just one. Find them on our store Here.
If the new school year is a good excuse for you to buy a new fountain pen, we've got the hottest, special production Pelikan pen that has been a huge hit among pen aficionados since its debut in early August. The Pelikan M205 Blue Demonstrator is a piston-filler pen (bottled ink-filling only) made from crystal blue resin, accented with chrome-plated trims and steel nib (available in extra-fine, fine, medium and broad point sizes). Pelikan is synonymous with exceptional, German-engineered writing quality and durability. Several of their special editions are valued in the thousands, but this series is being sold at an amazing value of $87.95 each. Buy yours today on Goldspot Pens Here. May I also suggest a bottle of Noodler's Navajoe Turquoise to complement the color of the pen?
If you've purchased a few of our selections already, good for you! Now, you need a place to protect and transport them back and forth to school. You don't want your new pens rattling around in your book bag or briefcase, getting scuffed up and possibly leaking all over your other supplies! Libelle, NY offers a variety of genuine leather pen pouches and cases to fit the size of your #dailyarsenal (thanks to @DIYSara for coming up with that hashtag topic on Twitter). Whether you have 20 writing instrument or just one, there is a leather case for you. Browse our selection of Libelle leather goods Here.
I hope you've become inspired by our run-down of the Must-Have products for back-to-school 2009. I would love to hear any additional suggestions that you may have, so please do comment on this post. As always, thanks for reading.
Back to School shopping was always fun when I was a kid, and even today I still fondly remember the excitement of picking out new pens, pencils and notebooks. Now, as an adult when I look back at those seemingly archaic items and how excited I was about getting them, I cant help but question whether the excitement was just because of the fact that I got to have “new stuff” or were these stationery items really just that cool for the time period I was growing up in? 
Now as an adult with my school years long behind me, I get to use lots of even more cool and innovative stationery products, but I feel like something is missing. It is hard to imagine anything could be missing though when I’m lucky enough to have such awesome products like my Uniball Kuru Toga Mechanical Pencil, Sharpie Pen, Lamy Studio fountain pen, and Levenger Circa notebooks to help keep me organized and performing at the highest level possible at work. So it got me thinking, what was missing? 
