South Dakota’s Back-to-School Shopping Blind Spots

5 Back-to-School Items You’ll Forget… Until You Really Need Them

Back-to-school shopping is a yearly tradition filled with long store lines, endless supply lists, and the constant fear of forgetting something important. You check off the obvious items, pencils, paper, backpack, but somehow, the first week of school rolls around and you realize you missed a few.

Here are five little things that could save your school year (or at least your dignity):

• Gym Lock – You might think your sneakers and gym clothes will be fine sitting in an unlocked locker. But the moment you skip the lock, your stuff has a way of "disappearing" if you know what I mean. A simple combination lock is the difference between finishing PE and explaining to your teacher why you’re barefoot.

• Clear Backpack for Events – More and more schools require clear bags for games, dances, and field trips. If you don’t have one, you might get turned away at the door. Even if it’s not required daily, having one ready means you won’t be scrambling last-minute.

• Composition Notebooks – You may love spiral notebooks, but some teachers insist on the old-school composition kind. Forget to buy one, and you might end up back at the store looking through the picked over back to school isle.

• Highlighters – Sure, they make your notes look like a rainbow exploded, but they are perfect for marking key points in textbooks and handouts. Your English teacher will love you for using them, and you’ll thank yourself when it’s time to study.

• Dry-Erase Markers – If your class does group projects, you’ll probably need to write on the whiteboard. Don’t be the person pretending to write with a dried-out marker from the supply closet. Bring your own, and you’re the hero of the group.

Before you call your shopping done, double-check for these overlooked items. They might not seem like much now, but when you need them, you’ll be glad you planned ahead.