University Essentials for Under $5

Let’s face it: when you’re heading back to uni and need to stock up on stationery essentials, every cent spent counts. When you’re living on baked beans and instant noodles most days, you simply can’t afford to spend a fortune on fancy stationery and whizz-bang study supplies. But Officeworks has got you covered with a huge range of notebooks, sticky notes, pens and pencil cases, all for under $5. Here’s a round-up of the best – and most budget-friendly – buys to help you nail your studies at uni.

Taking Notes

Stock up on A4 lecture pads and notebooks that provide plenty of space for taking down notes and drawing diagrams.

Prepare for those lectures (online or in-person) by gathering all the uni essentials you’ll need. First up is a lecture pad or notebook. We like this Studymate A4 exercise book because it’s eco-friendly – fill up all the pages and then toss it in the recycling bin once it’s no longer needed.

Another affordable option? This Keji pack of five A4 notebooks, one for each of your subjects. It’s a great idea to stick to A4 notepads and books in class as they give you plenty of space for jotting down notes and drawing diagrams.

Next, pair them with some good quality pens. This handy PaperMate InkJoy pack contains five blue pens, three black pens, and two red pens so all your bases are covered. InkJoy pens write smoothly and don’t smudge, making them the perfect tool for manual note-taking. Prefer the look and feel of a felt-tip pen? You can’t go past BIC Intensity Fineliners for bold ink that won’t bleed through the page.

What To Try

Getting Organised

Get organised for the uni semester with a diary and sticky notes to jot down important dates and tasks.

Here’s a super study tip: don’t let assignments and exams sneak up on you. The key to getting good grades and staying sane during a busy uni semester is being organised. Use a diary to keep track of important dates, like when essays and assessments are due – this handy-sized A5 one is undated, so you can start using it anytime – and also give to-do lists a go, to keep you on track, day-to-day.

Sticky notes are handy for little reminders to yourself and you can tag key sections in your textbooks with sticky page markers – colourful ones are extra useful, as you can create a colour-coding system.

Invest in a stack of index cards for making revision flashcards and writing mini summaries of essential information. A word to the wise: don’t leave things to the last minute. Do a little bit of study every day and you’ll find your workload much more manageable.

What To Try

Backpack Uni Essentials

Stash your backpack with all the uni essentials including a pencil case, water bottle and headphones.

These are the uni essentials that you simply can’t leave home without! Exhibit A: a pair of trusty headphones for class Zoom meetings, watching videos, or cranking the study tunes. This wallet-friendly Keji set gets bonus points for featuring an inline microphone. Pop them in a protective PVC case and you’re good to go.

Stay hydrated while you’re on campus with a reuseable drink bottle – this Keji bottle has an 800mL capacity and is made from BPA-free plastic.

Another must-have? A zip-up pencil case to keep your stationery stored and sorted. This shiny Studymate rose gold option will be easy to spot as you’re rifling through your backpack. It’s also streamlined to fit the essentials.

Last but by no means least, a document wallet will always come in handy. File away important paperwork and class handouts, and keep them safe and secure while you’re on the go.

What To Try

Important Extras

Make sure you pick up any essential extras such as a mechanical pencil for design courses or a calculator for maths subjects.

Fix up spelling mistakes with this cool Keji correction tape – it’s a genius invention that’s easy to use and far less messy than liquid paper. Diving into a maths, science or economics course? Then you’ll need a calculator, like this Keji pocket model, which is a best seller for good reason – it’s sturdy, comes with a 12-month warranty, and is dual powered, meaning it uses both battery and solar power.

If you’re studying design or enrolled in ‘Introduction to Architecture’, you will need some drawing basics. Mechanical pencils are a good option because they’re precise for detailed drawing work, plus you don’t need to sharpen them. Although this one comes with a built-in eraser, you might find it easier to use a full-size one. We like this Studymate Greener Choice one as it’s latex- and PVC-free. Also, a 15cm ruler will be super handy for drawing straight lines and underlining keywords and phrases.