Can you believe it’s been 4 years since I graduated from the MIT program at Western? Even though I’m not stepping into a classroom after Labour Day, there’s still something exciting about the back to school season. It symbolizes a fresh start and new beginnings, not to mention that it’s a good excuse to go shopping!
Fall is also a very busy time of year. “Canadians are among the most time-squeezed people on the planet,” says Mary Sagat, president of Staples Canada.
With that in mind, I’ve narrowed it down to my top suggestions for your back to school shopping list. This is based on current trends, technology and my own experiences as a student, employee and blogger. And the best part is that you can win a huge prize pack from Staples Canada – more details below.
What’s Hot for Back to School
Considering that we’re celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday, why not rock some red and white in the classroom? For example, Crayola has designed a pack of 64 crayons with Canada 150 branding.
The #1 item on my current shopping list is a new digital camera. Did you know that Staples sells cameras? Sometimes your smartphone won’t cut it, especially when you want to take nice photos with your new friends from school and don’t want them to be ruined with red eye.
Being eco-friendly is always in. With this prize pack, you can get a set of 24 eco-friendly Staedtler coloured pencils. Colouring became a more popular hobby among adults lately, so everyone could use these.
Between homework, readings, essays and tests, you end up accumulating a lot of paper at school and need to organize it. I always liked to have a different coloured binder for each class. How cute is the emoji-covered binder from Avery? The emoji craze probably isn’t ending anytime soon!
Notebooks, notebooks, notebooks… In elementary school, I had a chunky Five Star notebook to scribble reminders (and let’s be real, I used that to pass notes!). In university, some of my media studies classes banned laptops, so I carried lightweight and colourful notebooks to class. You need to stock up on these so you’re always prepared.
Once you’ve picked out your favourite writing instruments at Staples, you’ll need a cute pouch to carry them in. Keeping in mind that somehow backpacks always end up feeling heavy, I recommend getting a soft pencil case. You can get a red Merangue pencil case with gold polka dots in the prize pack!
Of course, fashion is really what’s top of mind for going back to school. I was delighted to see that Staples now carries ME to WE bracelets, which support a good cause. One of the prizes is a beautiful beaded bracelet from ME to WE. I collect these bracelets and they’re affordable enough to buy multiples and coordinate with different outfits.
If you’re heading to college or university, you’re going to hang posters on the wall. Period. And that means you’ll need poster puddy, which is included in the giveaway. This lets you hang up photos of your favourite celebrities or friends and family without leaving marks on the walls. At one point, I had so many vacation photos in my dorm that I nicknamed it the shrine.
Everyone needs a reliable lock. That’s pretty straightforward. After I graduated high school, I used mine at Western’s gym and always had piece mind that I could safely store my valuables while going on the elliptical. You can win a Dudley lock in the giveaway below.
Finally, when you’re walking across campus or taking the bus home, you’ll probably want to listen to some music or podcasts. You can win headphones as a prize too, so what are you waiting for?
Staples Canada x Hot On The Street Contest Details
The best part is that you have the opportunity to WIN products worth over $250+ that will help you prepare for school and work. Good luck!
Contest open to Canadian residents only. Must be 18+ to enter.
Disclosure: I partnered with Staples Canada to host this contest.