Fresh finds for a productive semester

Planners can help students hit the ground running each semester. Lily Merritt | Washtenaw Voice

By Claire Convis | Staff Writer
Lily Merritt | Photo Editor

Put organization at the forefront this semester with stylish tools and products for every budget. Here are some options to consider from local stores and online retailers:

Planners

Many basic academic planners range from $7 to $15 at stores such as Marshalls, Staples and Barnes and Noble. Students can plan out their week and keep track of deadlines, homework assignments and other responsibilities.

For students looking for a fun, inspiring planner, Ban.do offers planners with cute notes, artwork and pages of stickers. Most of its planners are on the thicker side, containing pockets and pages for notes and yearly goals. Students can find them at the WCC Bookstore and online at bando.com, with prices ranging from $20-28.

Bullet journaling is a new concept for creatives who wish to design their own planner. Start with Rachel Wilkerson Miller’s dot journaling how-to guide and journal, available from Target for $23.95.

For a sleek, modern option with ample lined space to plan your daily schedule, the Moleskine daily planner makes a good choice. Moleskine planners are available at Literati Bookstore in various sizes, and prices range from $17.95 to $27.95, depending on the style and size selected.

Budget laptops are appropriate for productivity and internet tasks. Vardan Sargsyan | Washtenaw Voice

Laptops

Shoppers on tighter budgets might consider a Chromebook, which runs on Google’s Chrome operating system instead of Windows, Mac or standard Linux. Chromebooks are great for running lightweight productivity applications on the cloud, as well as email and general internet browsing and streaming video. Don’t try intense gaming on Chromebooks, however. Prices start at about $140 on Amazon.

Lenovo also offers student and teacher discounts on tech and accessories, with a wide range of laptops to choose from, starting at $300. The Microsoft Surface Go—currently $398 on Amazon—is another good option for students, due to the laptop’s light and portable design and the creator’s efforts to include useful tech features at an affordable price.

The Acer Switch 5, another tablet/laptop option, sits on the market for $303 at Walmart. The Switch 5 boasts a battery life of 8 hours and 45 minutes, and it is described as handling everyday tasks well.

Find backpacks from Staples and TJ Maxx for under $25. VOICE FILE PHOTO

Backpacks

Find backpacks for under $30 at stores like T.J. Maxx, Target and Staples—many of which offer back to school coupons and sales.

Gently-used, affordable backpacks can also be found for $20 or less at Plato’s Closet, Value World, Salvation Army and other resale and thrift shops.

For students looking for unique style and creative colors, the Fjallraven Kanken is another choice; the Kanken comes in a variety of styles and many include a padded sleeve for a laptop. Similarly, Herschel brand backpacks offer stylish selections. Herschel backpacks start at around $40, while Fjallraven brand bags are upwards of $80.