Middle School Supply Lists

Middle School Supply List: Now What?

Congratulations! Whether you are the parent of a soon to be middle schooler or are yourself a middle school student, you are on the precipice of a brand new learning journey.

That being said, however, middle school can also be a tricky time. A time when you leave the comfort and safety of one teacher in grade school and move to the new world of changing classes and interfacing with many adults.

On that same note, your middle school supply list will also transition away from the supply list of grade school. You may be wondering what tools you’ll need now that you're ready for the new school year.

The Supplies

Ok, now it’s time for the nitty gritty. There’s good news and bad news when it comes to purchasing your middle school supply list. The good news is that you’ll be buying a brand new set of supplies. The bad news is that you may not know what you’ll need until the very first day of school!

In the past you always knew what to buy; crayons pencils, paper and the like were the norm. Today, especially because you’ll have many different classes with different teachers, it can be a little more confusing. Here’s what to expect:

• Many teachers, many tastes.

Some teachers prefer a binder book and others want separate one-subject notebooks. Still yet, some would like to see just folders and loose papers. Yes, you may even need a “journaling” book or two along the way.

Your best bet? Don’t buy anything until you know for sure. Waiting until the first day of school for your teachers to tell you what you need will save you, Mom, and Dad a ton of patience and oodles of time!

There may be a second option as well. Many schools now have an online site where you can find out information about the school, get to know teachers, principles and other faculty members. Some of these sites even have links to grades, and more specifically, to the teachers that will be teaching them. Here is where you may be able to find a school list pertaining to that specific grade and teacher. This is definitely something worth investigating, as again, it will save you a lot of time!

• On the other hand…

If there’s no website available, be aware that you won’t want to show up to school completely empty handed. You’ll want to have a few pens, paper, or a small notebook to write on. After all, how else will you be able to take down the supply list?

• Another reason to wait.

Some schools, like that of Florida’s middle schools, have adopted a color school code system for different grades. For example, the sixth grades are red; the seventh are black, and so on and so forth. Waiting to shop until you know exactly what your school policy will leave you in better stead for the new year.

• Pricey Items

That being said, you should prepare your budget for a few pricier items. Specifically, we’re speaking about scientific calculators, or if you’re in a really great art class, some new art supplies.

Confidence Needed

One of the items that should be very high on your supply list is confidence and high self-esteem. Middle school is a tricky time with lots of new things to learn. Whether it’s knowing to go to your next class when the bell rings, navigating a larger school building, or speaking in a foreign language in front your peers for the first time, it can be a terrain of firsts.

Don’t let that shake you! Right along with these sometimes heart-pounding moments are new discoveries waiting to be found and new friends at hand to be made. Believe in yourself, hold tight to what makes you you, and you’ll have no problem having a great time at your new school!