Yali’s Favorite Pens and Pencils

I. Love. Stationery. I truly do. I love making sure my pencil case only has the best of the best writing supplies. To be honest, I rarely use pens and pencils lately due to my having an iPad and Apple Pencil. Even so, I love using actual writing tools with my daily planner and my study notes. I have been obsessed with stationery since I was a little girl in elementary school. When my mom would give me 20 dollars for the book fair at school. I would hold those 20 dollars close to my chest all day until it was time for the fair. I would walk into our tiny library and spend a fraction of my time with the books. The majority of my attention was on the register. Where all the pretty pencils and pens were. I’d spend so much time looking carefully for the right one for me. My mom would come to expect me to bring home one book, but a not bunch of stationary. Now, with my extensive profession of being a student and buying thousands of dollars in stationery, here are my top picks.

Pencils

1. MUJI – Polycarbonate Rubber Grip Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm

You aren’t a true stationery fan if you haven’t heard about this brand. This is a Japan-based brand that sells a range of items from clothing to housewares. There’s an actual store in Boston on Newbury Street. I had the privilege of going with two close family members, and they got to see my addiction in real-time. It’s slick in design, and it is a clear material. It gives very chic vibes.

2. Zebra Pen – M-301 Mechanical Pencil, Stainless Steel Barrel, Fine Point, 0.5mm, Black Grip, 2-Pack

I first found these pencils at Target, and trust me when I say that they are amazing. These are lightweight and sleek. I especially have a soft spot for pencils that look like pens. They just give off a professional look that I love.

3. Ticonderoga – Pencil Wood-Cased, Pre-Sharpened, Graphite #2 HB Soft, Yellow, 30-Pack

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! These are one of the most popular pencils for a reason. I know everyone loves mechanical pencils, and I am one of them. However, nothing can beat the nostalgia of sharpening one of these bad boys and using them to annotate your notes. 

4. BIC –  Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils With Erasers, Medium Point (0.7mm), 10-Count Pack

For some weird reason, when it comes to doing intense equations such as in math or chemistry, I always grab these pencils. They are easy to hold, simple to look at, and give a bit of color that’s not too distracting. 

Pens

1. MUJI – Oil Ink Polycarbonate Ballpoint Pen 0.7mm

These pens are one of my all-time favorites. The clear look is what I want in a good pen. The ink doesn’t come out too rapidly, it gives just enough where it’s able to write smoothly. As you can see, I have a soft spot for this brand. 

2. Paper Source – Tiny Animal Click Pen

I love these cute pens! I am a huge fan of gel pens, so when I went into Paper Source and I saw these, I knew I had to have them! They are lightweight and come with four different types of animals. A dog, cat, rabbit, and chicken! Now that my collection is complete, I consistently use my chicken gel pen for my planner! 

3. Pentel – R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Pens, Fine Point, 0.7 mm

I have used these pens since my junior year of high school. Now that I am a junior in college, these pens feel like a cherished friend. I still use the same pen that I got for high school to this day! The design is easy to grip and the cap is my all-time favorite. I won’t be surprised that in four more years, I’m still using this pen to fill out my bills! 

4. PILOT – G2 Premium Refillable & Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pens, Bold Point, Black Ink

These are the OG baddie pens. They are so smooth to write with, and they hold so well. You will literally never write out of ink with this pen. Everyone in my family has at least two of these pens because I have so many cases of these pens that I give them away!

• pencils
• pens
• stationery
• study
• studying aesthetic