Back-to-school symbolizes the time of year for re-uniting with friends, dreading waking up early, and shopping for supplies ranging from backpacks to pencils & pens to lunch packs to dorm room supplies. It can be the reason to try new styles, new colors, and new gadgets. We’ve found the latest trends and coolest back-to-school supplies for trendy teens, so whatever you are looking for, we’ll be bringing it to you all week long as we bring you the latest in back-to-school for dorms, back-to-school fashion, beauty, phones & IDs, and supplies!
Back to school supplies range from backpacks to pencils and pens to cases for them to lunch packs to academic planners. And we've found the latest trends and coolest back to school supplies for trendy high-schoolers and teens. Whatever you are looking for, we'll be bringing it to you this week.
With a line ranging from backpacks with non-lethal spikes to a backpack with bubbles, MadPax is all about fun. Talk about a perfect fit for the popcosmo girl! We adore everything about the Bubble backpack. Of course it looks fun and cute to start, but it’s not for the faint of heart, since you will be the center of attention! If you are comfortable in the spotlight, then choose a color like Sunny Side Up (yellow) or Don’t Teal My Thunder (Teal) or Hot Tamale (Red) (like us)! Your mom will love the amazing construction, padding in the bag, big pockets, dividers and sections, sturdy zippers, and overall utility. MadPax leaves the FUN in functional and we crave their fashion-forward Bubble backpack for the girl who takes her fashion-forward style with a sense of humor and a big smile. And brothers can get in on this fashion action too! Count this backpack at the top of any back-to-school supplies list!
MadPax Bubble backpack, $60
LUNCH, SNACK AND AFTER-SCHOOL TIME
These small stainless steel containers are perfect for after school snacks or in-between class snacks. They keep your snacks from getting smushed and keep squishable foods from getting all over your backpack. And we like that our foods and snacks can be in compartments and don’t touch. Hey, we all have our issues. Plus, we all know that plastic is not a good mix for our food and that it’s better for the environment!
Lunchbots food container, $19.99
If you need something a little larger, then check out Laptop Lunches. It's BPA free and phthalate free, and also compartmentalized, but these are removable and have individual lids. It also comes with a mid-size fork and spoon, so you have everything you need in your bento-like lunch box. It then zips into an insulated cooler, so everything stays fresh for lunch, or after school.
LapTop Lunches, Bento Pack, 32.99
We don’t like chemicals in our food or in our bodies and we are not fans of high-fructose corn syrup, no matter how many commercials tell us it’s ok. And although rehydration drinks aren't on any back to school supplies list, they should be. Because when we play after-school sports: we sweat. Not "perspire." And that means we need to rehydrate with electrolytes, not fake sugars. There aren’t many drink choices that have electrolytes, don’t have chemicals and do have flavor. But grombomb is is the bomb! Pintail punch, liptrick lemonade, seaside sour apple and wipeout watermelon have no caffeine and do have electrolytes, both of which are good on hot days when you are playing sports, and yes... sweat. Stay hydrated and stay cool and drink a great tasting drink that is good for you.
grombomb, 24-pack for $29.99, also available in stores in California
Right up there with "the dog ate my homework" is "my water bottle got my homework all wet." A bottle in a backpack can ruin everything with leaks and condensation. But nothing can keep a cold drink cold and hot drink hot ALL day long... at least that’s what we thought. But S’well is a double-layered, insulated stainless steel bottle so ice cold drinks stay cold 24 hours and hot drinks stay hot for 12, and no water beads on the outside, meaning papers do not get wet in a backpack. This is the perfect bottle to take to school with an iced drink in the morning for after-school sports, and not have to worry about whether or not it will be cold enough in the afternoon. And in the winter, we're dreaming of hot chai latte for break… of course! And it comes in the cutest colors, plus there’s no BPA and it’s non-toxic, plus 10% of profits are donated to WaterAid, a non-profit organization to provide water and sanitation to the world’s poorest communities. Cheesy but true: S’well is definitely swell!
S'well water bottle, $35
GET ORGANIZED
The back-to-school shopping list. Some dread it, but around here, we are office supply geeks. We love the back-to-school supplies lists and can’t wait to run to our local supply store to find the latest and greatest. The only downside? Everyone else ends up with the same boring things! The fun is finding unique, cool supplies that reflect a sense of whimsy and maybe a bit about who we are, and definitely what we are into right now. CoolPencilCase.com has an amazing assortment of back-to-school items that make it easy to shop for everything in one place. A few of our favorite must-haves were the cute pencil cases and pouches. We like to keep our necessities stored in pencil cases in our desk or locker and cute ones that are distinctive make us happy. Last year, the high tops were a big hit, this year, we’re thinking sandals, and traveling to England… but maybe because it’s summer and the Olympics are on our mind. Halfway through the year, when back-to-school supplies are nowhere to be found and we need refills on items, CoolPencilCase.com will be the place to find those much needed items!
Cool Pencil Case, athletic shoe case, $15.45
Cool Pencil Case, patriotic pencil roll, $22.45
With all of the classes and the activities you have to juggle, it's amazing you know where to go when. So finding the perfect academic planner can be a lifesaver! Know what's ahead and stay organized.
We adore the Preppy cardboard covers for the 5” x 7” planners made by Sarah Pinto. They are perfect for jotting down general monthly and weekly plans, and keeping track of social events, but there may not be enough room if you have large handwriting and write down all of your homework for each class. The layout: 3 years on the first page, then Notes, then Months on 2 pages, then Weeks on 2 pages, followed by a section for future planning (great for college plans, dreaming big, and job-hunting!) and telephone & addresses, plus more Notes. We think this is the perfect middle school agenda, social calendar, or outside of school calendar. It would work for school if you keep track of your assignments in small writing or do it separately. It’s just so darned cute and fits everywhere!
Sarah Pinto Academic Planner, $20
This planner by DotMine Day Planners was made with school in mind and can be your one & only school planner. The layout: 4 year calendar on 2 pages, Months on 2 pages, A place to put your Class Schedule by day and time on 4 pages with more pages to put additional info, Weeks on 2 pages, Friend contact info pages, Business contact info, Thoughts pages. There are just enough sections for everything, but no more. We like the sturdy plastic cover so it won’t get torn up in our backpack, and that it’s not too big and not too small, it’s just right 6” x 9”. There are enough cute cover selections to suit even the pickiest people, but not so many choices that you get overwhelmed. We think they must have had some teen input because it’s like they read our minds and knew exactly what we needed in a planner!
Timemine Student Planner, $13.99
TECH TALK
TI-Nspire CX Graphing Handheld is so much more than the calculator it looks like. We must admit, it's a bit complicated to get it going, but once we head back to school, we know that our Algebra teacher will be all over this calculator and since she's the most amazing teacher anyone could dream of, we're hoping she'll sit down with us and explore exactly what this amazing calculator can do. In the meantime, we are told that by using the handheld along with the software, we'll be able to learn in class and then take that lesson home and continue the lesson at home on our laptop (or desktop). We can use it in math and science classes... and the screen is in full color! It is a computer screen on a calculator, so those graphs and geometric equations will look a lot more real-world, especially once we add in our own images, which it is capable of doing. Plus, once we master it (which we will!) we can take it into the ACT and SAT exams. There are spreadsheets and data/statistics and so much more, but thank goodness it's just a calculator when needed! Our favorite feature though is that we can take notes on it! So, we can store formulas. Really, it seems to be a tiny computer in the shape of a calculator... so we're looking forward to math this year, because the TI-Nspire is going to be our math BFF!
TI-Nspire CX Graphing Handheld, $183.36
Computer Apparel has a tee shirt for your computer. You read that right! It's a case that not only looks like a t-shirt for your computer, but is washable like a t-shirt! The difference is that this one is padded, very padded. But the pocket works like... well, a pocket that fits a phone perfectly. And the v-neck is another pocket for wires and power plugs. The computer slides in lined and zippered section that is sturdy enough to provide plenty of protection, but the case is soft enough to place in a backpack or bag for school. It really is a great case, and kind of fun. Of course we selected one in pink, but there are colors to please everyone, just like your favorite tee!
The Original V-Neck Sleeve, $49
DESK NECESSITIES
Because you shouldn't have to buy everything, here's a DIY your mom probably used to do, that is just as cute now as it was then. Wish that was true for everything moms had from high-school!
Frog Tape Dispenser, 16.50
Stress Cupcake, $4.50, squeeze for instant sweet stress relief!
Alligator Staple Remover, $7.95
