With the first day of school right around the corner, it’s time to take a trip to the store and refresh your stock of school supplies. As you walk down the aisles and see all of the flashy displays it’s easy to spend money on supplies that you’ll end up regretting. To alleviate wasting money on bad supplies, we’ve compiled a top ten list of note-taking pens to purchase to get ready for the school year; all based on our criteria of, penmanship, grip, ease/smoothness of writing, and aesthetic appeal.

#10: Bic Round Stick
This Bic Round Stick is the classic ball-point pen. While it gets the job done, you need to constantly apply lots of pressure just to get ink out. Not to mention, the grip is non-existent and the ink is not smooth.

#9: Bic Intensity Fine
This pen is a great choice to add a pop of color to your note-taking but is lacking in grip and smooth ink. Don’t even think about wanting to write on both sides of the paper if you use this pen, as the ink always bleeds through.

#8:Uni-ball Signo 207
This pen is another contender for a colorful option. The pen does not bleed through and has an incredibly comfortable grip, which factors into the penmanship quality. One of the only downsides to this pen is the pen is not smooth.

#7: Papermate Profile Gel .7
This pen provides a wonderful writing experience with a nice thick grip and smooth ink flow making it a decent choice for any student. Despite this, the pen may be the reason for your continued procrastination, as it is one of the ugliest pens on the market.

#6: Papermate Flair Medium
It seems one cannot make it through school these days without coming across a teacher grading with a Flair pen. While these pens are cute and popular among teachers, they are not ideal for taking notes due to the squeaky friction they create with your paper and the uncomfortable grip. For students, they are more useful for correcting work and adding cute colors to notes.

#5: Arrowball
This pen is of great quality and has a fantastic aesthetic appeal. Don’t be fooled by this pen’s looks, as it only produces handwriting that is mediocre at best. If handwriting is not a concern the grip and dependability of the pen makes this one of the top pens avalible

#4: Papermate Gelocity Blc
The Papermate Gelocity Blc is a fantastic choice for all students as it never fails to make your handwriting fantastically aesthetic. Coming in a variety of colors, and a comfortable grip, it is a perfect choice for adding some flair to notes. The only downside is that it quickly diminishes ink, making it require regular replacement.

#3: University of Wisconsin Whitewater Admissions
When you first approach the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Admissions pen, you may feel apprehensive about its writing abilities, but we can assure you this pen delivers on almost all categories. With a comfortable grip and fantastic ink flow, you will enjoy every moment of your writing experience. Although the aesthetic of the pen is questionable, the benefits of beautiful handwriting make the trade-offs worth it.

#2: Pilot G2-07
This pen is perfect in almost every way. Equipped with a classic grip that allows for effortless penmanship, it’s almost impossible to be dissatisfied with your experience. While the pen provides ease of writing, the 07 tip may make your handwriting less precise which is why it is in the second position on our list.

#1: Pilot G2-05
The Pilot G2-05 blows the competition out of the water in all categories. The grasp is unmatched and the ink in this pen writes smooth and produces flawless penmanship. The pen also has immense versatility and is perfect for all tasks including homework, notes and projects.