BTS Annual Shopping Trip

I was in a big box store the other day, and marveled at the volume of school supplies. Paper, pens, crayons, folders – row after row of items just waiting for parents to hit aisles with their specific lists of what to buy – the annual scavenger hunt known as “back-to-school shopping.” They march into crowded stores armed with supply lists that somehow include 14 glue sticks, two folders with pockets, two without, very specific “wide-ruled only” notebooks, markers of different sizes, tissues and hand sanitizer, and so much more. As I think back to when the girls were in school, I’m pretty sure Jackie spent a small fortune on school supplies every year (of course the backpacks had to be a certain size and theme). Now, in full disclosure – Jackie is a way better shopper than me, so of course I let her do it!  I am a firm believer in the philosophy that if 2 items are required, then you must have 3 (backup), or if BOGO is available must have 4! And, after nailing the list, most parents are back shopping by Halloween, as half the items mysteriously disappear by October. (Somewhere I think there is a secret parallel universe filled entirely with lost pens and pencils, lonely Trapper Keepers, and missing calculator covers). It’s funny how little some of these items have changed over the decades. A yellow No. 2 pencil from 1975 looks remarkably similar to one bought today, and like the original. Pens, erasers, notebook paper, rulers, and protractors have survived; computers, tablets, and smartphones remain on the list. Somehow, a fresh notebook, some lined paper, and a perfectly sharpened pencil still feel like the beginning of possibility. Here’s some fun info and trivia I think you’ll enjoy. Kudos to all the Moms (and some Dads!) out there gearing up for the dreaded trip – good luck!!  (And good luck putting your kid’s name on each of those 64-box crayons and 24-count colored pencils.

Pencils – Pencils trace back to the 1500s, when a large deposit of pure graphite was discovered in Borrowdale, England. According to legend, shepherds first used chunks of graphite to mark sheep. Early pencils were simply graphite sticks wrapped in string or wood. The modern breakthrough came in the 1790s when French inventor Nicolas-Jacques Conté developed a method of mixing powdered graphite with clay. By adjusting the clay ratio, manufacturers could create pencils of different hardness grades, leading eventually to the numbered system we know today. 

For decades, standardized tests required #2 pencils because early optical scanning machines could only reliably read marks of a certain darkness. Softer pencils (#1) smudged too easily, and harder pencils (#3 or #4) made marks that were too light, so #2 pencils created the “just right” mark for scanners and school.

Fun facts:

• The famous yellow school pencil became popular because early high-quality graphite came from China, and yellow symbolized prestige and royalty in Asia.
• A standard wooden pencil can draw a line about 35 miles long or write roughly 45,000 words before it is worn down.
• Mechanical pencils using HB lead are considered equivalent to a traditional #2 pencil. (I LOVED my mechanical pencil!).
• Artists rarely use #2 pencils alone… they may use everything from ultra-soft 9B pencils to ultra-hard 9H pencils for shading and precision work.
• The eraser on many pencils was added after an 1858 patent by Hymen Lipman, who combined the pencil and eraser into one tool – wonder if he chewed it??

BIC pens – French entrepreneur Marcel Bich introduced the BIC Cristal pen in 1950, but wisely dropped the “h” from his last name when marketing in English-speaking countries. Today, more than 100 billion BIC pens have been sold worldwide, making it one of the most successful products ever created. Amazingly, one standard BIC pen can write for nearly two miles before running dry. Even the little hole in the pen cap has a purpose. Many people think it is there to keep ink from drying out, but it was actually designed as a safety feature to allow airflow if accidentally swallowed. 

During World War II, ballpoint pens became especially popular with pilots because they leaked less at high altitude than fountain pens. Somewhere along the line, the four-color pen also became the ultimate symbol of organization and authority for teachers, nurses, and accountants everywhere. (I LOVED the pens with multiple colors!)

Notebook paper – something so ordinary that nobody thinks much about it. Before inexpensive paper became widely available in the 1800s, many schoolchildren actually wrote on reusable chalk slates instead. Any of you who know me can only imagine what the chalk slate would look like! Wide-ruled paper was later developed to help younger students practice larger handwriting, while college-ruled paper allowed older students to cram more notes onto a page.

Fresh notebook paper also carries one of the great nostalgic smells of childhood. Opening a new pack somehow signals that summer is ending and routines are returning. For generations of students, the first day of school often meant carefully writing your name at the top of a perfectly clean sheet of paper.  

Colored pencils – Early versions were sometimes called “map pencils” because students frequently used them in geography classes to color maps. Today, colored pencils remain classroom staples, although many adults secretly enjoy them just as much thanks to the rise of adult coloring books and stress-relief hobbies. The word “pencil” comes from a Latin word meaning “little tail.” One average tree can produce roughly 2,500 pencils, and author John Steinbeck reportedly used as many as 60 pencils a day while writing his novels. The famous No. 2 pencil is not about size at all… the number actually refers to the hardness of the graphite.

Erasers – Before rubber erasers were invented, people actually used soft bread crumbs to rub out pencil marks. Eventually, rubber replaced bread, and the familiar pink eraser became common after manufacturers added pumice, which happened to turn the material pink in the process. 

Every classroom also had that one tiny eraser nub that somehow survived the entire school year. Students would wear them down until they were barely large enough to hold. I like the erasers that slip over the end of the pencil – they work great!

Backpacks – In the 2025-26 season, characters absolutely dominated shopping lists. Disney’s Stitch became one of the biggest breakout stars thanks to the renewed popularity of the live-action movie and the character’s endless social media appeal. Retailers reported Stitch backpacks selling out quickly, especially glitter, fuzzy, and oversized versions. 

Bluey was another major favorite for preschool and elementary-age kids. Parents online joked that “every other kid” seemed to be carrying Bluey gear this year. Matching lunchboxes and water bottles became part of the trend, turning backpacks into full themed collections. 

Minecraft backpacks were everywhere in 2025, especially Creeper designs, pixelated graphics, and glow-in-the-dark versions. Pokémon, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, and PlayStation-themed backpacks also ranked among the most requested items. 

For girls — and increasingly teens and even adults — Sanrio characters made a massive comeback. Hello Kitty, Kuromi, My Melody, and Cinnamoroll backpacks became surprisingly trendy again, fueled by nostalgia and TikTok aesthetics. High school students were even carrying “cute kid backpacks” ironically or nostalgically. 

Superheroes never fully disappeared either. Spider-Man, Batman, Marvel, and DC backpacks remained steady sellers, especially for younger elementary students. Disney princesses, Frozen characters, and unicorn-themed backpacks also continued to be popular choices. 

What’s interesting is that trends changed by age group. Younger children tended to want loud graphics, glitter, characters, rainbows, dinosaurs, sharks, or unicorns. Older students leaned toward athletic brands like Nike or Adidas, or retro-style nostalgia backpacks featuring SpongeBob, Hello Kitty, or even Disney princesses “for the aesthetic.” 

One growing trend in 2025 was actually the “plain backpack with accessories” approach. Many parents bought durable JanSport or North Face backpacks and then let kids customize them with patches, pins, keychains, charms, and dangling stuffed animals. This helped avoid the yearly “I don’t like this character anymore” problem that happens roughly three weeks after school starts. 

The numbers behind back-to-school shopping are staggering. According to recent surveys, Americans are expected to spend more than $30 billion during the back-to-school season, with many families spending between $500 and $750 per child – this includes clothing, electronics, backpacks, and classroom supplies. What’s kind of amazing is that while technology has changed classrooms dramatically, the “core” school supply list remains remarkably similar to what parents bought 40 or 50 years ago. Pencils, paper, folders, crayons, glue sticks, and notebooks still dominate.

And somehow, despite all the trends, one universal truth remains unchanged: the coolest backpack in August often ends up stuffed with crumpled papers, broken pencils, snack wrappers, and one mystery item nobody can identify by November.

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