Everyone wants an excuse to get the newest and most useful technology, and back-to-school season is the perfect time to do so.  Different technology is used all around the world for social media, Google searching, and extraneous work purposes, but the technological needs of a student are more specific.  Whether you’re looking for something small or something big (and maybe not even needed for schoolwork), there are commodities for everyone.

Taking notes in class can be a real struggle, especially with a super fast-paced teacher.  The $80 Livescribe Pulse smartpen may look like a normal pen, but it also has a voice recorder and up to 2 GB of storage.  With infrared sensors, the Pulse remembers everything you’ve written in digital form, it also keeps track of whatever was being said while you were writing.  You can even sync your handwritten notes onto your PC or Mac to share on the internet.

If you’re taking any English or literature classes, why not keep your books all in one place?  For $120, The Kindle DX, a one-pound electronic reader that is only a third of an inch thick, has the ability to hold 3,500 books, while also downloading an entire volume over its 3G antenna in less than a minute. You can also get access to textbooks, whether it be for math, science, history, etc.  And thanks to the Kindle’s low-power display, it will be ready for prolonged use of up to four days without being plugged into an outlet.

The more you use your phone at school, the faster the battery runs out.  In some cases, we can only get a few hours of use before it dies, which isn’t much between lunch, classes and passing time. The Kensington Portable Power Pack, a $67 rechargeable battery, just needs to be plugged into your phone or tablet and gives up to five hours of talk time, 14 hours of handheld video, or 55 hours of music. You can recharge the booster battery using the bundled AC adapter or over a computer’s USB port.

Sometimes, we get the opportunity to listen to music while we write, type, and do worksheets during class, and there’s always that one kid who plays their music so loud that everyone in the vicinity has to listen to it. Don’t be that guy. Instead, try these noise-canceling earphones–the SE115 MicroSpeakers. They’re on sale on Amazon for $69.99 with great sound quality and bass-boosting technology. The SE115s also come with thick plastic earbud cords and a sturdy nylon case to protect your investment.

Some of these back-to-school marketed products aren’t even needed for school, but with tech like this, you’re sure to find something you like for the 2017-2018 school year.