School supplies that will bring brightness to community college (& schools in need around the country)

One of the most popular questions I get is what to bring to college, and while I've done quite a few posts with lists of supplies, I wanted to tell you about some particular school supplies that I think you'll LOVE.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not getting paid to write this post. I was sent some free school supplies, but was under no obligation to write about them. I'm writing about them because I think they're AMAZING and I wanted to tell you about it.

I'm also writing about them because I have met and really admire many people who work for this company, including its founder.

They're basically awesome, so are their school supplies. So my opinions, all my own. And yeah...I'm totally biased due to awesomeness.

I'm talking about Yoobi, a very new and dynamic school supply company that also gives back! For every item purchased Yoobi donates school supplies to schools in need in the U.S. 

They also partner with the Starlight Children's Foundation to donate supplies to students attending school in a hospital. I've heard stories about how these kids light up when they receive these free supplies, and how grateful the teachers are to be able to do activities they couldn't have done without the right stuff.

The Yoobi cause and passion alone are enough to make me want to get my own office supplies from them, but to top it all off, their stuff is SO MUCH FUN!

I could tell you about it...or...I could show you:

Hello blue!

The box that arrived - made me smile instantly.

love these.

This is literally how I feel about pronged folders in college. They are "A" machines. ;)

PRONGS!!!!! :D

Everything laid out on my desk!

I immediately rubbed my face on this pencil case. It's so soft.

Colorful school supplies are totally a fashion statement, duh. ;)

The <3 pushpins & highlighters stole my <3 immediately.

These supplies literally make you want to be creative and fun. I'm serious.

I call this, The Writer's Pose. ;)

Oh look, Yoobi gave me an idea!

 As you can see, I had alot of fun with this. And honestly, the supplies have this playfulness that's impossible to ignore.

And the people I've met who work at Yoobi really care. The first words out of their mouths are about the problems they want to solve with Yoobi, and the joy they get from seeing the joy on the kids' faces when they do their big donation events. It's just plain inspiring. 

So, in case it isn't obvious, here are some reasons why you should get some Yoobi school supplies for your next semester:

*You'll be sharing the love and the fun and the supplies with kids in need
*You'll feel bright and creative when using these supplies in class and while you're studying
*Someone might just be all like "hey I like that purple folder" and you can be all like, "thanks, let me tell you about it - also, let's be friends." ;)
*They're SUPER affordable (e.g. my fav pronged folder is .89!) 

And just in case you might find this helpful, here is what my shopping list looked like before any new semester:

Pens
Pencils
Highlighters
Journal (I highly recommend journaling in college!)
Spiral notebook for each class (for notes)
A pronged folder for each class

Happy #GivingTuesday!

10 supplies you should have for the first week of college

I've been getting a lot of emails and comments asking about college supplies, so here you go!

MUST HAVES

1. Pens

2. Pencils

3. Loose leaf paper

4. Colored 3-prong folder for each class (or binder with dividers...or some kind of organizational system that works for you; I preferred a different colored folder for each class, labeled, with loose leaf paper; I'd put the syllabus in the 3-prongs on the first day of class)

5. Calculator (unless for some reason your courses that semester are devoid of any math or science)

6. Textbooks (unless you like to enroll for more classes than you plan on taking and then dropping the one you like the least, I highly recommend getting all your textbooks ahead of time. You're prepared for the professors who assign homework right away, and you avoid the long lines at the bookstore that first week) 

OPTIONAL

7. Laptop/tablet (for note taking or doing homework between classes; I'd recommend, however, not pulling out your technology the first day of class to get the vibe of the class and the professor first. Laptops can also be distracting as no matter how good of a student you are it's still hard to resist the temptation of browsing the internet. Be mindful and make the best choice for your learning and focus)  

8. Different colored highlighters (for note taking and reading) 

9. Notebook (for taking notes for a particular class; I recommend any kind that has the Cornell style) 

10. Read the syllabus for each course closely to see if it lists any additional supplies. While rare, some professors do prefer you use certain supplies and will list them in the syllabus if that is their preference. 

And of course, any kind of tote or backpack will be fine to carry your supplies, whatever you like best! Find something durable, comfortable, and that works with your style. 

Make your college supply school shopping as fun as it was when you picked out that Lion King backpack and fresh pack of colored pencils before your first day of 2nd grade (that was me, complete with side-ponytail). 

You'll also probably like the video below.