7 Must-Have Items for a Successful Semester
Author: James E Tierney, CEO & Founder
Read time: 4 minutes
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Updated: August 2026
Starting a new semester can feel like a fresh start. New classes, new professors, and hopefully a plan to stay on top of everything this time around.
Then the semester actually starts.
Assignments pile up. Your syllabus says one thing, Canvas says another, and somehow there's an exam next week that you swear nobody told you about.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is get organized early.
This doesn't mean you need a perfect color-coded system or to spend hours setting everything up. You just need a system that helps you know what you need to do, when you need to do it, and where to find what you need.
We work on this constantly with students at Tierney Education. For example, our free Academic Success Course Planner gives you one place to put your courses, assignments, exams, and other important dates. Taking a little time to organize everything at the beginning of the semester can save you a lot of headaches later.
The same idea applies to the physical stuff you use for school. You don't need to buy every study gadget you see on TikTok. But a handful of things consistently help us stay organized, study effectively, and make college a little easier.
Here are 7 items we recommend keeping on hand for a successful semester.
300 Index Cards for About $5
I'm a big fan of index cards. They're cheap, simple, and work for just about any class.
The obvious use is making flashcards, but the important part is how you use them. Don't just reread your cards over and over. Try to answer the question or explain the concept before you flip the card over. That little bit of struggle is the point. You're practicing retrieving the information instead of just recognizing it.
They're also great for formulas, vocabulary, key concepts, or even making a quick list of the topics you still need to review before an exam.
Right now, you can get a pack of 300 cards for about $5, which should be more than enough to get you through quite a few exams.
2026–2027 Academic Planner for about $10
Yes, you have a calendar on your phone. And yes, your professors probably put most of your assignments in Canvas. I still think a physical planner has a lot of value.
This one runs from July 2026 through June 2027 and, importantly, gives you both monthly and weekly views. Use the monthly pages to see the big picture—exams, projects, trips, and other important dates. Then use the weekly pages to figure out when you'll actually get everything done.
We work with students all the time who know what they need to do but haven't really thought about when they'll do it. A weekly planner can help bridge that gap.
You certainly don't need this exact planner. Find one you like and will actually use. The important thing is having a system and checking it regularly.
Dry-Erase Monthly Calendar for About $28
One of the easiest ways to get overwhelmed during a semester is to only think about what's due next. A monthly calendar gives you a much better picture of what's coming.
Put it somewhere you'll see it every day and add your exams, major assignments, presentations, trips, and other important dates. If you look ahead and realize you have three exams and a paper due in the same week, you can start planning for that before the week arrives.
I particularly like dry-erase calendars because you can update them throughout the semester. Plans change. Professors move things. You make mistakes. Just erase it and move on.
This one is 16" x 20", magnetic, and currently around $28. But just like the planner, you don't need this exact one. The important thing is creating a big-picture view of your semester somewhere you will actually look at it.
30 Felt Tip Colored Pens for around $20
I really like these pens. I've recommended them to students for years, and they're useful for a lot more than just making your notes look nice.
Different colors can help when you're organizing notes, working through problems, or drawing graphs and diagrams. For example, you can use one color for the original graph and another to show what happens when a curve shifts. You can also use colors to separate different types of information in your notes or make important ideas easier to find when you come back to study.
The set comes with 30 colors, so admittedly you probably don't need all of them. But they're inexpensive, they write well, and I find myself using them all the time.
Just remember: colorful notes aren't automatically good notes. The colors should help you organize and understand the material—not turn studying into an art project. Read Kim's post on good note-taking.
12 Highlighters for about $7
Highlighters are another simple tool I think every student should have on hand. They're great for identifying important information in readings, organizing notes, and making key concepts easier to find later.
But here's the important part: highlighting is not studying.
It's very easy to read a chapter, highlight half the page, and feel like you've accomplished something. Instead, use highlighting as a first step. Identify the important information, and then do something with it. Turn it into a question. Put it on an index card. Try to explain it without looking at your notes. Use it to create a study guide.
Highlighters can help you organize what you're learning.
4 3-Ring Binders for around $11
Even with Canvas, Google Drive, and everything else being online, you're probably still going to end up with papers. Handouts, worksheets, practice exams, returned assignments, formula sheets—they have a way of accumulating.
Give them somewhere to go.
I like having one binder for each class that needs it. When your professor hands you something, put it in the binder instead of stuffing it into your backpack and hoping you can find it three weeks later.
Binders can also be useful when you're studying for an exam. If you've kept everything organized throughout the semester, you already have your notes, practice problems, old assignments, and other materials together when it's time to review.
This four-pack is inexpensive and should cover several classes. Label each one at the beginning of the semester and, most importantly, actually put things in it.
Scientific Calculator for Under $15
If you're taking math, statistics, economics, chemistry, or another quantitative course, having a good scientific calculator is worth it.
Yes, your phone has a calculator. But you probably won't be allowed to pull out your phone during an exam.
I like the TI-30X IIS because it's a relatively inexpensive calculator that can handle fractions, exponents, statistics, trigonometry, and many of the calculations students need in introductory college courses. The two-line display is also helpful because you can see what you entered along with the answer.
One important warning: check your syllabus before buying a calculator. Different courses and professors have different rules about what's allowed. Some require a particular model, some allow scientific calculators but not graphing calculators, and some don't allow calculators at all.
And don't wait until exam day to figure out how your calculator works. Use the same calculator while you're doing homework and studying so you're comfortable with it when it actually matters.
Start the Semester Strong
You certainly don't need to buy everything on this list to have a successful semester. The goal isn't to have the perfect planner, the nicest pens, or the most organized binder.
The goal is to find a few tools that help you stay organized, keep track of what's coming, and study more effectively—and then actually use them.
Getting these systems in place during the first few weeks of the semester is a lot easier than trying to figure everything out once you're already behind.
Good luck this semester!
Looking for a little more help getting organized or staying on top of your classes? Fill out the form below to learn more about academic coaching and tutoring with Tierney Education.