If the arrival of September doesn't make you want to dive headfirst into your nearest WHSmiths on a hunt for scented gel pens and other shiny new stationery items, then you're missing out on one of the most joyous occasions in the academic calendar. There's nothing quite like the life affirming clarity and sheer will to get shit done that comes with opening a brand new, un-scribbled-in notebook. There's nothing quite like the click of a new pen that you wholly intend not to lose by the end of the week. But mainly, there's nothing like a bunch of new stuff to trick you into being productive for a little bit.
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So in the spirit of the new year (I don't know about you, but the September new year feeling definitely feels more poignant than the January one these days), here are some genuinely cool, suitable for grown ups, bits and bobs to treat yourself. Because whether you're heading to university or not, everyone deserves a pretty new diary to forget to write in after week three.
1. The monthly diary
The trouble with most pretty new diaries is that they're often quite chunky and with a whole page to use per day, you often feel like you're not filling it up as much you're meant to. So, you either end up not bothering to take it out with you every day because a heavy handbag isn't fun for anyone, or you end up not bothering to write in it all together on account of all that intimidating white space you haven't filled with meaningful plans. Enter the at-a-glance planner: a double page spread per month and no more feeling shit for not having much of a life to fill it with.
2. The novelty paper clips
I know, I know. What reason could you possibly have to spend money on paper clips? The answer, my friends, is in all of those stray print outs, water bills and easy to lose documents that tend to go missing. Buy the cute little dogs and thank us when you know exactly where to find that paper with your Student Loan payments dates on them.
3. The not so grown up stickers
For no other reason than these are great and you should stick them on anything and everything to brighten up your boring bits of work.
4. The token unicorn item
People still have a thing for unicorns. Whether we like it or continue to roll our eyes and shake our heads at it, unicorns are still a thing. You know what else is a thing? The fact that you never have a pen to hand because you have nowhere but the bottom of your bag to throw them in. Two birds one stone right here, you guys.
5. The thing you'll use one time and one time only
If you're anything like me, there will have been a time in your life when you realised that these fancy stamps that suddenly make any and all documents look official and important, exist outside of televised period dramas. And at that time, you will probably have wanted one for yourself but not known where on earth to find one. Then Kate Spade came along and made a really cool one with loads of #inspirational quotes not to take too seriously.
Kate Spade New York rotating stamp with pad, £26.00, Selfridges
6. The notebook you'll want to write in
If an illustrated Dachshund, annotated with whimsical descriptions of its anatomy doesn't make you want to write shit down, I don't know what will.
7. The 'take me seriously' pen
Nostalgia never gets tired and if you're going to take the whole 'being organised at life' thing seriously, you may as well invest in a fancy shmancy fountain pen like the ones people used to use in the good old days. Can't fault a classic, and at the very least if you spend a bit more money on it you'll be less inclined to give it to anyone to borrow and forget to ask for it back.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.