Every new semester brings with it a long list of books to buy. My list isn’t just books. Over the semesters, I have found items that I can’t live without for my classes. Each field of study requires different tools for learning, but these choice items are not specific to any. As I buy my materials for the new semester, I will be sure to stock up on these favorite school supplies.

Mini stapler: No matter your major, chances are you will have to write reports or essays at some point in your college career. If you plan to write more than one page at a time a mini stapler is a good investment to keep in your backpack. Ranging from $2 to $7 per stapler, you can’t go wrong with this school supply.

Gum:If you are like me, you arrange your school schedule to fit as many classes in a row as possible. The downside to that arrangement is that you might not always have time to eat between classes. In that instance, I always have a package of gum floating around in my backpack to help curb my appetite. Gum is a very cheap treat to buy from $0.25 and up, depending on the brand and amount you purchase.

Portable Mobile Power Bank: I don’t recommend using a phone or a tablet in a class, but most students on campus have one device or another with them at school. If you do, it is a good idea to have a portable power bank in your backpack in case you run your battery down. These can be bought for as little as $7, which makes them a cheap school supply.

Frixion pens: This is an item I discovered last semester and don’t know how I got through school without it. I am an English major and am constantly writing on papers to make corrections. This pen is perfect for my classes and I love it. It has an extra fine tip, an eraser on the end to avoid mistakes and it comes in a variety of colors. Although it is a great pen, it is more expensive. Starting at around $3 per pen, it is my splurge item each semester.

Highlighters: Every student needs a colorful collection of highlighters to mark up those notes and textbooks. At $2.40 for a four pack of markers, these are cheap and essential school supplies.

Post-its &Wite-out: These two items are seldom thought of, but often needed. Post-its are handy to mark up pages, make notes and use as bookmarks. Wite-out is a great tool to have handy for any mistakes you might make on your paper materials. It is a good idea to have a small supply of these handy in your pack. Post-its start around $4 and Wite-out starts around $3.

Chocolate chewy nibs: Last but not least, is the chocolate treat I keep on hand for a pick me up. Trader Joe’s has a chocolate snack that I absolutely love. It is a small tin of dark chocolate nibs. They are cacao nibs covered in dark chocolate and they give me that little taste of dark chocolate sweetness that I need on a long day of learning.