Back-to-school season means supply shopping, which is an exciting ordeal for some, and a nightmare for others. Although mindsets on school supplies may vary, they are crucial to a student’s academic success. Yet there are still barriers to school shopping with ease. How can teachers better accommodate their students, and how can we as a school community shrink the disparity gap?

One concern for those buying school supplies for high school is not knowing what to purchase. Teachers have their own set of standards in class which can be challenging to predict when shopping ahead of time. The suggested solution is to have teachers send out a supply list during the summer. Senior Allyson Espinosa says, “I think [supply lists] would be helpful for freshman classes. Otherwise knowing what you need once you get to school is fine.” Although Espinosa feels experienced in the school shopping process, she understands that may not be the case for everyone. She adds, “A brief list would be nice since school supplies do run out and it is a struggle for some people I know who can not drive themselves.”  Teachers who do not offer a supply list could also be more lenient on deadlines for acquiring school stationery. Either of these two choices can remove stress from a student’s shoulders.

Students spend their whole summer away from school, but that is not the case for all groups, with one exception being ASB officers. Junior Haley Lu-Nguyen explains, “It was stressful having to come into school a couple of weeks early for ASB to prepare the school for a new year.” With less time on her hand for school shopping, she offers an idea to those who are also busy with summer responsibilities. Lu-Nguyen states, “When I went back to school shopping, I did it all online…I prefer it over going in-store since you get a much broader selection with everything there. So, I order it, and it ships to my house, not a big deal.” The rise of online shopping allows everyone to do things hassle-free, but at what cost? According to USA Today, “More than two-thirds (68%) of shoppers saw higher prices for clothing and accessories, school supplies… back-to-school items were priced, on average, 15% higher than a year ago.” Inflation has become the primary concern for working-class families with growing children. With pricing being a crucial factor, CBS Channel 58 conducted a study investigating costs for buying in-store versus online. For the same supplies, Walmart costs $25.56, Target at $45.28, and Office Depot $51.39. Some places online, like Amazon, allow better deals when buying in large quantities, so that’s a bonus for large families. Despite that, the online order for a standard set of supply is $72.88, higher than all the stores. Online prices fluctuate, so keeping an eye out throughout summer can help, but students should be aware of the pricing trade-off.

To aid low-income students, large families, and anyone in need, the Issaquah School District offers the program “Tools4School.” In partnership with the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank, Tools4School distributes 1000 backpacks filled with supplies each year. Information about this is found on the website, on the poster at the front of IHS, or in the front office. The program also accepts monetary donations to further its distribution goals. If you are looking for a way to give back to the Issaquah community, Tools4School is a great place to start that will directly help your peers. From Tools4School, one participating family shared: “Thank you so much for all that you folks do for all of our families. You guys and all the donors are TRUE BLESSINGS in our lives!”

With all the talk about back-to-school shopping, is buying new things every year necessary? Social factors impact whether someone purchases new things. Vogue Business reports, “Social media’s influence on back-to-school shopping has almost doubled, from 19 percent in 2019 to 41 percent for 2021.” Shopping hauls and “get ready with me” content gain their fair share of popularity with every new school year. While it can be a form of inspiration, can media contribute to uncertain emotions? Freshman Dellen Chen says, “It is like a set-in standard that is expected of you.” To him, social pressure is present regardless of his feelings. Sophomore Ian Kim gives us the other perspective on buying new things. Kim explains, “I reuse old binders and old folders unless they are broken.” He elaborates, “I do not get that [pressure] sentiment since I know some people can not afford it, and if it works then it works.” Apart from social pressure, students may have different reasoning when shopping for school. Lu-Nguyen shares, “I do not dress up to impress but it is more of a hobby. I enjoy styling because it is fun and helps me feel more confident about myself.” It is key to keep your personal wants and needs in mind before heading to the store, even if it does not align with those of others.

There are many routes you can take with back-to-school shopping. You may face blocks like money, time, and social pressure. Any part of school can be overwhelming, but with time comes experience. You change as a person, just as your shopping habits do. The whole ordeal may not even phase you or may be uninteresting but reflecting on your school experience can be a fun way to invoke old memories of your younger self.