The 32 Best Back-to-School Essentials from Urban Outfitters

As much as it *hurts* to say goodbye to summer, there’s nothing like back-to-school shopping to get you psyched for a fresh start to another school year. When it comes to where to shop, there’s always Target and Office Depot. But if you’re looking for home and school supplies with an eclectic and quirky flair, be sure to check out Urban Outfitters for the most on-trend essentials. Scroll on for all our top picks and get ready for the best year yet.

1. Urban Outfitters Seven-Piece Color Pop Cookware Set ($69): This vibrant aluminum cookware set is all you need to whip up tasty and affordable meals this school year. And thanks to these guys, you won’t feel as homesick for your favorite homemade dishes!

2. Urban Outfitters Petite Point Gel Pen Set ($16, set of 12): If precise coloring does it for ya, pick up these super fine-tipped gel pens. Intended for highly detailed coloring book illustrations, there’s no doubt that these amazing gel pens will contribute to some crazy colorful and neat notes.

3. Urban Outfitters Filament Journal ($12): Jot down important class notes in this one-of-a-kind journal. You’ll definitely stand out in a sea of basic notebooks with a print as unique as this.

4. Urban Outfitters Ceramic Food Storage Bowl Set ($34, set of four): Add this set of four storage bowls to your kitchenware to make sure nothing goes to waste. Complete with clear lids, these ceramic bowls are great for storing leftovers in your mini fridge or packing lunch.

5. Urban Outfitters Melembe Shibori Tapestry ($59): Channel those boho vibes with this gorgeous dyed tapestry. It’s perfect for sprucing up a bare wall or even acting as a room divider if needed.

6. Urban Outfitters Mesa Soft Dye Jersey Duvet Cover ($119+): A good night’s rest is crucial to performing well in school. So make sure catching z’s won’t be a problem with this ultra comfy cotton duvet cover in a gorgeous dyed design.

7. Urban Outfitters Fleur-de-Lys Glass Jar ($16): This versatile glass jar with a textured fleur-de-lys motif makes the ideal container for holding all your bathroom or vanity necessities. The pop of purple keeps things interesting and will definitely brighten up any space.

8. Contigo Purity Glass Water Bottle ($18): Made of glass, stainless steel and food-grade silicone, this water bottle is a must-have for keeping you hydrated between and during your classes. Its stainless steel strap and durable silicone sleeve also make it easy to grip and carry.

9. Urban Outfitters Fried Egg Cutting Board ($29): Crafted from natural Rubberwood, this fun, egg-shaped cutting board is just right for the foodie in you. It even comes with a tie-top so you can hang it from your kitchen wall or drawer knob when not in use.

10. Urban Outfitters Good Vibes Tufted Bath Mat ($34): You don’t need to tolerate freezing bathroom tiles in the morning or risk slipping after a shower, thanks to this trusty bath mat. Featuring a cute tufted “Good Vibes” design, there’s *almost* no way you can say no to that.

11. Urban Outfitters Bendi Jewelry Organizer ($29): Avoid clutter and potentially losing your favorite jewelry items with this metal organizer. Store and display necklaces, earrings and bracelets on its unique wave-like design.

12. Urban Outfitters Black + White Grid Hamper ($39): Give your hamper a mod-inspired look with this black and white grid design. It even features two handles that fold down, which makes hauling your load to the laundry machine a cinch.

13. Urban Outfitters Blue Marble Keyboard Cover ($12): Give your laptop a stylish makeover with this blue marble-inspired keyboard cover. Made of silicone, the flexible cover is easy to remove and wipe clean.

14. Urban Outfitters Bluetooth Speaker String Lights ($50): Great for late-night get-togethers, these Bluetooth-compatible string lights will let you play your favorite songs all night long. You can even bring them outdoors for any porchside/patio brunch session.

15. Urban Outfitters Cactus Cork Desk Organizer ($15): Spruce up *and* tidy your desk with this plant + organizer hybrid. It comes with push pins for you to tack on photos, notes, accessories and more!

16. Urban Outfitters Copper Wire Shelf ($44): If affordability is your utmost priority when it comes to furniture, that might mean you’re working with a desk without actual means of storage. On the other hand, you could just be running short on space, so stock up on storage space with this wire shelf you can simply slide onto any desk or bookshelf.

17. Urban Outfitters Dry Erase Memo Elephant ($26): Channel the impressive memory of elephants with this cute dry erase memo elephant figurine. It comes with a black marker, but feel free to brighten it up with a set of colored dry erase markers.

18. Urban Outfitters Geo Shelf ($89): Modern meets rustic in this unique geometric shelf. You can store your textbooks and school supplies in this fun and functional design piece that *totally* speaks to your experimental side.

19. Urban Outfitters Kitty Tape Dispenser ($16): Put a fun spin on this workspace essential with this cute antique-inspired cat tape dispenser. For a decorative flair, you can even trade out the cellophane tape for washi tape once you use it all up.

20. Urban Outfitters Marble Journal ($12): Modern and minimalist are what this journal is all about. If you’re into the simple and understated look, use this notebook to jot down all your important class notes.

21. Urban Outfitters Marble Swirl Utensil Set ($20, set of 12): Give a pretty marbled effect to your kitchen essentials with this set of marbled swirl utensils. Because it comes with four sets of each utensil, you can even split them and the cost between you and your roommates.

22. Urban Outfitters Mini Refrigerator ($149): A mini fridge is a must-have for all you dormers. Give the dorm essential a personalized flair by getting this retro-inspired one.

23. Urban Outfitters Oh Snap Leather Journal ($24): This leather-bound blank journal includes a soft fabric interior with a mini pocket and pencil holder. Perfect for jotting down everything from your class schedule to your *feelings*, this multi-purpose journal is the one you’ll want for when you go back to school.

24. Urban Outfitters Paddywax Concrete Candle ($14): Available in sea salt + sage, amber + smoke and tobacco + patchouli, this soy wax blend candle is the one to amp up the ambiance in your home. It doesn’t hurt that the candles’ concrete and color-dipped design is uber modern-chic.

25. Urban Outfitters Peg Board ($24): Save this handy peg board for yourself or turn it into a communal message board between you and your roommates. Featuring 350 letters, numbers and symbols, this board is well-stocked for any note, message or joke you want to make.

26. Urban Outfitters Penguin Corkscrew Wine Opener ($24): Ladies night isn’t complete without a bottle of wine, so don’t get caught unprepared. Make sure you have this penguin corkscrew wine opener on-hand to pop open all the bottles.

27. Urban Outfitters Pink Moon Portable Power Charger ($26): Never worry about a dying battery again! There will be no more missed calls/texts/emails with this portable pink moon power charger.

28. Urban Outfitters Small Collapsible Bento Box ($16): On that college budget? Save money by packing your lunch in this cute and collapsible bento box.

29. Urban Outfitters Steel Travel Tumbler ($24): Functionality has never looked this good. Take your coffee to go in this sleek stainless steel tumbler for those wake-at-the-crack-of-dawn classes. It comes with triple wall insulation, so you know your coffee will stay hot throughout the morning.

30. Urban Outfitters Tower Toothbrush Holder ($16): Forget a communal toothbrush cup — opt for this more sanitary option instead. With this handy toothbrush holder, your housemates won’t ever accidentally mistake your toothbrush for theirs. Thank goodness!

31. Urban Outfitters Wire Wall Grid ($59): Avoid desktop clutter with this multi-purpose wall hanging. Its modern grid-like design makes it a cinch to clip and display everything from photos to important notes.

32. Urban Outfitters Wireless Panda Speaker ($28): Start your mornings off right by getting ready listening to your favorite playlist on this adorable panda-inspired wireless speaker. Simply connect your speaker to any Bluetooth-compatible device like your smartphone or tablet and jam out!

Which of these goodies will you get for back to school? Follow us on Pinterest for more back-to-school must-haves!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Challengers is honestly just one giant tennis match. While we watch Zendaya's Tashi, Mike Faist's Art, and Josh O'Connor's Patrick play the game in a literal sense, we also see their personal relationship spiral, ricocheting back and forth as each character plays a different role every couple of years. And the crazy Challengers ending is a culmination of this intense emotional journey because it solidifies Patrick, Tashi, and Art's relationship — both to one another, but also to tennis itself.

What did the ending of The Challengers mean?

Image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

There is a lot of tension between Tashi, Art, and Patrick throughout the movie, and it all builds to the titular Challenger match. It's Art vs. Patrick, and they're playing for way more than just the title and the money (though of course, they're definitely playing for the title and the money) — this is one final chance to prove themselves to Tashi, who's sitting court-side looking very unimpressed.

Both men lose their cool during different sets, but it's in the third and final set that everything comes to a head. At the end of the match, Patrick confesses to sleeping with Tashi using a tennis ball and racket signal only Art recognizes. For a split second Art is is complete shock, and I expected him to completely lose it. And, technically, he does, but in a totally unexpected way. Rather than jump the net and punch Patrick in the face, Art channels his emotions into his tennis, and the fury he feels actually allows him break through whatever slump he's been stuck in.

Unable to have a conversation about Patrick's secret, Art and Patrick talk with their serves and returns. And because Tashi doesn't catch the signal, for the first time in the whole movie, she's cut out of the conversation.

Did Tashi love Art and Patrick?

Image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

Tashi's been pulling the strings ever since she met Art and Patrick, and she's never not been in control. After Patrick sends the signal, she knows something is going on between them, she just doesn't know what — and it unnerves her. Thanks to Zendaya's expert subtlety, the twitch of her eyebrow or the particularly anxious way she grips her hands are the only things that give her away. But her confusion, and the men's anger, quickly turn to pure joy in the final moments of the movie.

Patrick and Art end up playing so intensely that they meet at the net and embrace, prompting Tashi's iconic tennis yell before she gives one of her first genuine laughs of the film and the screen cuts to black. The first time I saw the movie, I thought "What?!" but the more I think about it, the clearer the Challengers ending is.

Patrick and Art (whose relationship begins six or seven years before the movie opens) haven't spoken since the big fight surrounding Tashi's injury, and their hug proves they're just happy to be playing together again. It's what they've always loved, and their fight over Tashi almost ended it forever. Tashi's pure elation shows she's happy to watch some good tennis, especially after she failed to help Art break out of his rut.

We've only seen Tashi scream like that once before, when she admits to a perfect tennis match. While Tashi does care for Patrick and Art, the end of Challengers proves the characters' true love was never really each other — it was always the game.

What did you think of the Challengers ending? After you rewatch the movie (and then rewatch it again), check out the other Most-Anticipated Spring Movies For 2024.

Lead image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

While it's always nice to see something realistic represented in our favorite TV shows, there are few things more painful than watching a TV breakup. Even when we don't actually know fictional characters IRL, it's absolutely devastating to see them break each other's hearts. (Although, it's equally as bad as never seeing your favorite prospective couple get together — I will never forgive The 100 for what they did to Clarke and Bellamy!!).

Keep reading to see some of our most heartbreaking splits — and then check outWhat Being Team Conrad Or Jeremiah Says About Your Dream TV Boyfriendto put a smile back on your face.

Image via NBC

Ross and Rachel from Friends

Friends is one of the most iconic sitcoms of all times, and Ross and Rachel is definitely one of the most devastating TV breakups. In season 3, this iconic couple decides to take a break in and in "The One with the Morning After," Ross wakes up with another woman named Chloe at the exact moment Rachel shows up at his door. Rachel finds out about the affair, and after a fight in Monica's living room, the couple calls it quits.

Regardless of how you feel about Ross claiming they "were on a break" when he slept with Chloe, seeing Rachel's reaction (and knowing the trust between them was broken) is one of the worst moments in the whole show. Just thinking about it makes my stomach bottom out!

Image via The CW/WB

Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls

This is one of my personal most-devastating TV breakups because it seems like, out of all of Rory's boyfriends, Rory and Jess are just perfect for each other when they start dating. Not only does their love of books bring them closer together, but their personalities are so compatible. But when Jess leaves for California at the end of season 3 — without saying anything to Rory, I might add — is unacceptable! It breaks my heart, and based on the final look he gives Rory during A Year in the Life, he also regrets it BIG TIME.

Image via The CW/WB

Damon and Elena from The Vampire Diaries

This Vampire Diaries couple was truly endgame, and the will-they-won't-they of it all was one of my favorite things about the show. So when they broke up (to my horror), I was devastated.

Damon and Elena admit they're bad for each other in the season 5 episode "While You Were Sleeping" (then Damon tells her he doesn't even want to be friends. Ouch!!), but it's the season finale, "Home," that makes me extra emotional. When Damon gets stuck with Bonnie on the Other Side, he says goodbye to Elena, who's begging him not to leave but can neither see nor hear him. Say it with me: gut! wrenching!

Image via Erika Doss/Prime Video

Conrad and Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty fans are PASSIONATE about whether they're team Conrad or team Jeremiah (trick question, my OTP is Taylor and Stephen), and even the most dedicated Conrad stan hates the prom scene. You know, when he breaks up with Belly at her prom, in the rain. I know he just thinks Belly deserves better, but it's still very painful to watch.

Image via FOX

Schmidt and Cece from New Girl

When I hear "devastating TV breakup" I IMMEDIATELY think of Schmidt and Cece from New Girl. Schmidt gets away with a lot of ridiculous things throughout this show, but dating two girls at one time is not one of them. After Nick has a hard time keeping Schmidt's love life a secret, Schmidt finally comes clean to Cece in "Double Date," leaving both her and me in tears. No matter how many times you rewatch the show, it truly feels like their relationship (and maybe even the friend group) will never recover.

Image via BBC/Prime Video

Fleabag and The Priest on Fleabag

In the history of TV, I don't think I've ever heard anything as heartbreaking as "I love you," "It'll pass." Like, who approved that line?! The viral moment comes at the end of the Fleabag series finale, when Fleabag is sitting with The Priest at the bus stop. Over the course of the series, we not only see how much these two care about each other, but how well they know each other (like how The Priest recognizes when Fleabag zones out). To be loved is to be known, and that's what makes this devastating TV breakup even more devastating.

Image via HBO

Carrie and Aidan on Sex and the City

After so much back and forth, it's hard to accept Carrie and Aidan's final breakup on SATC. But in season 4's "Change of a Dress," Carrie realizes she's not ready for marriage and Aidan realizes he doesn't trust her after her affair with Big. The combo of broken trust and being at two different life stages makes this extra painful to watch, and I don't think any amount of rewatches (or And Just Like That binges) is going to change that.

What's YOUR most devastating TV breakup? Let us know on Facebook!

Lead image via The CW/The WB

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris caused quite a stir at Elton John's Oscars afterparty, but for good reason! After dodging dating rumors for quite awhile, they dressed to impress and made their first public debut as a couple! Sophia even wore her best accessory — a mega-watt smile — that further confirms this blissful pair.

While some people love to know whencelebrity couples fell in love, the details about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris' relationship have people wondering when this couple actually got together. Well, our wait is over because Sophia decided to open about what led to her romance with Ashlyn Harris and why certain rumors hold no merit!

Since we're clearly tuned in to this love story, here's everything you need to know about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris's relationship!

Who is Sophia Bush?

Image via Robin L Marshall/Getty Images

Sophia Bush has had a lengthy career as an actress, and she's most recognized for her portrayal of Brooke Davis in the hit TV series One Tree Hill. She's also appeared in Nip/Tuck, Chicago Fire, Incredibles 2, and John Tucker Must Die. When she's not showing off her acting chops, she hosts the Drama Queens podcast alongside former One Tree Hill castmates Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz!

Who is Ashlyn Harris?

Image via Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for W Magazine

Ashlyn Harris is a former U.S. soccer player who had a successful run — no pun intended — as a goalkeeper during the career. She also won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada and continued making an impressionable mark. However, she announced her retirementin 2022 and — per her Instagrampage — has gone on to become the Global Creative Advisor for Gotham FC and Adidas Football.

When did the dating rumors about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris start?

Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

June 2023

Rumors about a possible connection between Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris swirled last summer when Cosmopolitanreported they were on a panel at Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity. Sophia shared a pic of the two at the festival on Instagramand wrote, "Love you @ashlynharris24 and @sophieannkelly" towards the end of her caption.

A source told Page Six, "It’s very new...They are definitely a couple.” But, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris didn't confirm or deny anything at that time.

When did Sophia Bush file for divorce from Grant Hughes?

Image via Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

August 2023

A couple of months after Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were seen getting cozy together, Sophia filed for divorce from her former husband Grant Hughes. Peopleshared that they were only married for a little over a year — 13 months — but didn't end on a bad terms. A source then told Entertainment Tonight, "Grant and Sophia are better off as friends and they weren’t getting enough time with each other before their breakup."

When did Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger file for divorce?

Image via Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

October 2023

While things seemed to quiet down, Ashlyn Harris soon filed for divorce from Ali Krieger after getting married towards the end of 2019. What's interesting is that a source told Peoplethis decision wasn't surprising. "Although it’s new information to the public, Ashlyn and Ali’s divorce began months ago and they have been living apart since the summer,” the source said.

This is also around the time it was speculated Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris had their first official date. A rep told People, "Grant will always want the best for Sophia, and is supportive of all that makes her happy and fulfilled." We guess it helps he and Sophia had a solid friendship before getting married!

As for Ali Krieger, she basically let the world know things were business as usual with an Instagrampost. She captioned a pic of her playing soccer with, "Preparing for playoffs while in my Beyoncé lemonade era." A comment from user @lgbtlfg said, "the fact that a lot of players in these comment’s usually mind their business and stay out of drama but are supporting ali should tell everyone all they need to know."

The only thing Ashlyn said about it on Instagramis that she never intended for her and Ali's divorce to be made a public matter. A portion of her note says, "This process is never easy, but we were making our way through."

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris publicly talked about their relationship?

Image via Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio

March 2024

Besides showing up to Elton John's Oscars afterparty together, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were previously tight-lipped about their relationship. The only hint Sophia offered was much more of a reflective post about 2023 on Instagramat the beginning of January. She said, "This year taught me to listen to myself and no one else. To let go of expectation that wounds and grasp possibility that frees. To not care about optics and instead invest in honesty."

But, she's since chosen to own where she is in life.

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

Sophia Bush on the cover of Glamour Magazine

April 2024

Sophia Bush has now reached a point where she's publicly ready to stand in her truth regarding her life and her relationship status so much that she penned her own cover story for Glamour. The first thing she did was open up about how she really felt about her marriage and fertility struggles.

She wrote, "But after the wedding I found myself in the depths and heartbreak of the fertility process, which was the most clarifying experience of my life. It feels like society is finally making space for brutally honest conversations about how hard and painful any fertility journey is, but I kept mine private. I was trying to get through months of endless ultrasounds, hormone shots, so many blood draws that I have scar tissue in my veins, and retrieval after retrieval, while simultaneously realizing the person I had chosen to be my partner didn’t necessarily speak the same emotional language I did.”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

As far as her relationship with Ashlyn Harris is concerned, the star is enjoying the love that exists between them. Contrary to alleged rumors, their initial relationship was a platonic one that stemmed from a place of understanding and support.

She told Glamour,I didn’t expect to find love in this support system. I don’t know how else to say it other than: I didn’t see it until I saw it. And I think it’s very easy not to see something that’s been in front of your face for a long time when you’d never looked at it as an option and you had never been looked at as an option. What I saw was a friend with her big, happy life. And now I know she thought the same thing about me.”

She also added, "A lot of effort was made to be graceful with other people’s processing, their time and obligations, and their feelings. What felt like seconds after I started to see what was in front of me, the online rumor mill began to spit in the ugliest ways. There were blatant lies. Violent threats. There were the accusations of being a home-wrecker. The ones who said I’d left my ex because I suddenly realized I wanted to be with women—my partners have known what I’m into for as long as I have (so that’s not it, y’all, sorry!).”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

It's safe to say that Sophia Bush is thoroughly comfortable with her love life and identity as a queer woman. She said, "I’ve experienced so much safety, respect, and love in the queer community, as an ally all of my life, that, as I came into myself, I already felt it was my home. I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum. Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.”

And this is what it looks like to reclaim your narrative when so many people are looking at a brief glimpse of the lives of celebrities. We love that Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris are loving each other on their terms without feeling pressured to share anything before they were ready to. Our hope is that their love story continues to unfold beautifully.

Be sure to watch Sophia Bush's interview with Glamour's Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barry here!

Full Credits From Glamour Magazine:

Writer: Sophia Bush

Photographer: Lauren Dukoff

Stylist: Deborah Afshani

Hair: Matthew Collins

Makeup: Afton Williams

Manicure: Brittney Boyce

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris made their official red carpet debut?

Image via Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Kimball Stroud & Associates

April 27, 2024

Per Glamour, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn made their official red carpet debut as a couple on Friday. They attended the White House Correspondent's dinner where they were dressed to impress in complementing black ensembles.

It's easy to see the glowing couple couldn't stop laughing and smiling as they posed for pictures that seemed to capture every good angle of their faces and style.

Image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images

After the dinner, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris posed for more pictures on the red carpet leading to the Correspondent's after-party. Now that we're able to see their full faces, we have to talk about how well their hair and makeup complements their outfits. It's clear that Ashlyn's contour and bronzer were expertly applied to her face while Sophia's blush gave her a natural flush.

*Sigh* Their smiles are the only confirmation we need that they're enjoying the bliss of being a couple.

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This article has been updated.

Lead image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images