12 Old-School School Supplies You Never See Anymore
These 12 old-school school supplies will transport you straight back to creaky desks, chalkboard dust, and simpler times.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 4 min read
Before tablets and phones ruled the classroom, school supplies had personality—and sometimes, a weird smell. These throwback tools were once must-haves in every backpack but have mostly vanished from today’s schools. Get ready for a nostalgic trip to the past.
1. Trapper Keeper
Yortizsoto16 on Wikimedia Commons
It wasn’t just a binder; it was a whole vibe. Loud designs, Velcro flaps, and a clip that barely worked but somehow held your whole life together. Opening it made you feel organized, even if your homework was still missing. If you had a Trapper Keeper, you were basically royalty.
2. Overhead Projector Sheets
DiscoA340 on Wikimedia Commons
Remember those clear plastic sheets teachers scribbled on with dry-erase markers? They’d fumble to place them just right, and you’d all pretend the projector’s buzzing didn’t drive you nuts. Watching diagrams float on the wall was oddly magical. Today’s smartboards could never.
3. Scented Markers
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Nothing got kids high on learning like a fresh whiff of grape or root beer marker. Sure, half the class walked around with rainbow-stained noses, but we were committed. These markers smelled better than our lunches and doubled as currency in trades. Also, the black one smelled like mystery.
4. Rolling Backpacks
Marek Ślusarczyk on Wikimedia Commons
Before ergonomic awareness kicked in, some genius invented the rolling backpack. It clacked down the hallway like a suitcase, and you either thought it was the coolest thing ever or total social suicide. Tripping over one was a rite of passage, but hey, no back pain.
5. Pencil Toppers
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Tiny aliens, glittery puffballs, or bendy animals sat on top of your pencil like they paid rent. They served no actual purpose except to distract you and collect dust. Still, every desk had one, and if yours bounced, even better. Functional? Nope. Adorable? Absolutely.
6. Metal Lunchboxes
Tima Miroshnichenko on Wikimedia Commons
These weren’t just lunchboxes—they were mini billboards for your personality. Ninja Turtles, Barbie, or He-Man shouted, “This is who I am, and I have a sandwich.” They dented easily, rusted fast, and could probably survive a car crash, and the thermos always leaked.
7. Slide Rules
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Before calculators, there was math wizardry on a stick. If you knew how to use one, congrats, you were probably ahead of your time (and still a little intimidating). Most kids just slid it around like a fidget toy. Still, it looked smart just sitting on your desk.
8. Book Sox
IngimarE on Wikimedia Commons
Stretchy fabric covers wrapped around your textbooks like Lycra for learning. They came in wild prints and always made the corners of your books look bulked up like they hit the gym. Half the time, you put them on backward, but once it was on right, it was pure satisfaction.
9. Pen Erasers
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That weird, hard pink end of a dual pen claimed it could erase ink. Spoiler: It mostly just shredded your paper. Still, you kept trying because the dream of erasing ink was just too good. Bonus: It made you feel like a rebel with a second chance.
10. Manual Pencil Sharpeners (the wall kind)
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The grind of learning, literally. These giant, wall-mounted beasts were loud, unpredictable, and wildly satisfying. You never really knew what your pencil would look like when it came out. Too sharp? Broken tip? No problem. Try again.
11. Yikes! Pencils
Thad Zajdowicz on Wikimedia Commons
They were neon, misshapen, and somehow the coolest thing in the supply aisle. They didn’t sharpen well, and the erasers were trash, but they had personality. Everyone wanted one, even if they were basically the clowns of the pencil world. Writing with one made every sentence feel funnier.
12. Chalk and Blackboards
Alessandro Patelli on Wikimedia Commons
Before whiteboards cleaned up the scene, it was all about dusty chalk and screechy sounds. Teachers wielded chalk like swords, and those boards were the canvas of chaos and knowledge. Clapping erasers was an actual task that students fought over. The smell of chalk? Childhood bottled.