Back to School Nostalgia

In the past, I have made no secret of my obsession with stationery. I have to be dragged away from the shops because they are all full to bursting with Back To School items, Academic Planners, and all sorts of fab stationery.

 

When I was at school we just had a standard pen, pencil, rubber, and ruler. For English classes, we had a fountain pen and a bottle of ink to practice proper handwriting (I know I am old, but at least I know how to write nicely!) We even had blotting paper, which was handy because the fountain pens were so messy. If you didn’t screw the lid back on the ink bottle or your fountain pen leaked you were left with a total mess. I was always in trouble because my white school shirts had black ink stains from the elbow to the cuff.

 

I loved a shiny new pencil case but it wasn’t long before my friends had covered it in messages. Luckily they knew to write the rude messages on the inside of the pencil case. I often got caught by the teachers doodling away when I should have been listening. I still doodle when I am on the phone!

Looking back we had to carry enormous rucksacks full of hard backed books, exercise books, PE kit, lunch box etc I’m surprised to see that nowadays teaching is mainly done on computers, hence no books or back problems.

I remember the feeling of horror to get to a lesson and find I didn’t have the right textbook. I would then have to spend the whole lesson looking over a friends shoulder. If your mum had packed your swimming kit on a PE day there was no choice but to run all the way home in the dinner hour to change it. If you forgot your packed lunch you simply went hungry.

Punishments were given out depending on how nasty the teacher was. Some would use a plimsoll or cane, others made you write lines. Luckily I was never given this treatment, but I remember taking a note from my friend and getting smacked around the ear for it (yes, I remember you, Mr. Wynne!)

 

 

I still cheer myself up with a new notebook and have a drawer full of ones which are far too beautiful to write in . Recently, I have also noticed that fountain pens are back in the shops, but these ones don’t leak! I always feel you pay more attention to your handwriting if you use a nice pen.

When I was at school we were given a printed timetable on the first day of term. By the last day, it was ripped, folded into a tiny square, covered in ink, covered in coffee stains or lost completely. The new Academic Planners solve all these problems. They are specially designed to contain all the information you need throughout the school year. There are homework timetables, holidays (very important) exam dates and all the parent/child appointments throughout the year. There are also special planners for teachers who can prepare lessons, make notes and keep accurate records.

I adore a highlighter pen! Don’t ask me why but I just love to put fluorescent lines through my writing. I have been collecting these because they come in so many different colours now. Oh! and Post It Notes which literally organise my whole life.

 

When I was at school only the teachers were allowed red biro’s so I am quite partial to a coloured pen. I wanted to be a teacher just so that I could flick through an exercise book erratically ticking away.

If I was going back to school I would be so excited to try out all the new stationery. It’s a shame it didn’t make me more academic!

If you’re due to return back to school soon as either a pupil, student or teacher hope you have a great school year!

Photos courtesy of Erin Condren for all your School and Office Supplies.

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