In our youth due to the absence of our multiple electronic devices we actually had to write things down on paper. We seemed to get tonnes of homework so it was essential to make sure we were fully kitted out with a variety of weird and wonderful stationery. Let’s have a look at some of the most memorable items we had on our desks!

1. Fun Fax

The only way to make sure you were properly organised was to buy the superb Fun Fax. As well as helping you to become a highly successful individual, the Fun Fax also contained lots of silly stickers and jokes to keep you amused.

2. Pencil Case

Pencil cases came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Did anyone own one of these cool musical pencil cases?

3. Text Books

For reasons that were never convincingly explained to us, we were instructed to wrap our text books in brown paper or even old wall paper.

4. Trolls

In the 80’s we loved a mascot, so these weird looking guys were all the rage. We would love to see photographs of your troll collections in the comments!

5. Rubbers

Even the best of us made the odd error so it was necessary to have a good collection of rubbers. You would always try to preserve the picture on the rubber for as long as possible.

6. Magic Eye

With all that studying going on, we needed a distraction from time to time. The early 90’s Magic Eye craze had us all squinting at multicoloured patterns looking for hidden images.

7. Radio Alarm

As well as getting you up for school in a morning, this was a handy way of listening to tunes whilst you were grafting away. Atlantic 252 was always a pain to tune in!

8. Pen Holder

Did anyone have one of these guys to help keep your study space nice and tidy?

9. Compass

These instruments of torture were used to draw a perfect circle, or to stab your mate in the knee.

10. Diary

This was where you recorded all of your secrets, including who you fancied, so it was important to get one with a sturdy lock. God forbid anyone ever read it!

11. Lamp

Many hours of exam revision were done hunched underneath the light from one of these lamps.

12. Fountain Pen

Getting your first (and only) fountain pen was a right of passage but the reality was an inky illegible mess. The biro soon came back out.