School supplies back in the day weren’t just about the regular notebooks and pencils – it was about having the right ones. And if you walked into a classroom in the ’80s or ’90s, you could immediately tell who had their school supply game on.

Kids these days are more excited about showing off their cool and up-to-date gadgets, which means the charm of flaunting unique school supplies back in the day has faded. Let’s revisit some of the cool school items that we couldn’t get enough of.

The Ultimate Binder

Credit: Youtube

Back in the day, your binder was your command center. The best ones had pockets, a zip-up pencil pouch, and enough space to hoard every worksheet you needed. As for the design, if yours had neon shapes, racing cars, or a futuristic grid pattern, you were officially cooler than the kid with the plain white one.

Pocket Folders

Credit: Youtube

We’re not talking about the plain blue or yellow pocket folders; the real deal was bold, bright, and covered in the most chaotic designs possible. You ought to become the envy of the table with one of these in your possession.

Scratch-and-Sniff Stickers

Credit: flickr

Getting one of these on your homework was basically the equivalent of winning an Academy Award. The best teachers had a whole sticker book filled with scents like bubblegum, cherry, and chocolate. Some had a better reputation than others, and kids would strive to get root beer. It was an instant classroom favorite.

Smell played a major role in making school supplies appear super cool. Scented markers worked well and smelled amazing. Sometimes, they were just passed around the table for an impromptu smelling session. Orange, cherry, and grape were the best ones.

Scented Markers

Credit: Youtube

Smell played a major role in making school supplies appear super cool. Scented markers worked well and smelled amazing. Sometimes, they were just passed around the table for an impromptu smelling session. Orange, cherry, and grape were the best ones.

Colorful Pencils

Credit: flickr

The regular No.2s were too boring to stand out in class. Foil designs, neon swirls, and funky zigzags were a thing about pencils – the brighter, the better. Interestingly, the ones that looked the best were impossible to sharpen. Everyone loved to show them off but hardly ever used them.

Squishy Pencil Grips

Credit: Youtube

Squishy pencil grips were not just functional but an adorable addition to any school supply stash. These tools also helped with hand cramps. The coolest grips were the ones filled with gel in neon colors. If you had the boring gray foam ones? Well… at least you tried.

Glitter Pens

Credit: Instagram

Notes written with glitter pens were the envy of the entire class. These pens glided like butter and made even math homework feel fancy. The only downside was that they ran out of ink way too fast—and you had to shake them furiously just to get a few more sentences out.

Multi-Color Click Pens

Credit: Instagram

The cool factor of this pen was extremely high. Why carry 5 pens when you could have one that did it all? The multi-color click pen was a power move. The jumbo version had up to 10 colors. And yes, we all tried to click every color at once, even though it never worked.

Pastel Ink Pens

Credit: Facebook

If you are from the 80s or 90s, you know how huge pastel ink pens were. Soft pastel ink turned ordinary notebooks into works of art. The baby blue, mint green, or soft lavender ones were the go-to choice for doodling during class.

Stretchy Book Covers

Credit: Youtube

Covering books meant fighting with a brown paper grocery bag. But once fabric book covers hit the scene, it was a total game-changer. The most in-demand stretchy book covers were shiny, metallic, and even changed colors. Choosing these cool covers meant you were not shy from taking any risks.

The Notebook That Never Fell Apart

Credit: Instagram

Some kids had flimsy spiral notebooks, but the best notebooks were built to withstand a year of backpack abuse. They had extra storage, a built-in pencil pouch, or dividers that made you feel like an executive. If your notebook had a tear-proof cover, you were basically a school supply elite.

The Cool Ruler

Credit: flickr

A ruler that was bendable or filled with glitter was really the highlight in your school supplies box. These measuring tools were mostly used as drumsticks, swords, and makeshift catapults. Most kids would steer clear of the plain wooden rulers. They just gave you splinters!

Funky Erasers

Credit: flickr

Funky erasers were not tools but collectibles that every kid back in the day was obsessed with. If your eraser looked like a tiny car, a fruit, a sneaker, or a slice of pizza, you were automatically cool. But did they really erase anything? Not really.

Pop-A-Point Pencils

Credit: Youtube

What’s cooler than a pop-a-point pencil where you didn’t need a sharpener to get a brand new, pointed lid to work with? These pencils were a brilliant idea and really cool to show off. The only drawback was that if one lead piece went missing, suddenly, it was all over.

The Drag-Along Backpack

Credit: Instagram

Surprisingly, a backpack that dragged on the ground was a statement in the 80s and 90s. Even better if it had patches and keychains. If it was overstuffed and had at least one zipper broken from overuse, you were doing school the right way.