Press Release: GetBullish Capitalizes on "New Notebook Energy" as Adults Embrace Back-to-School Shopping

GetBullish Capitalizes on "New Notebook Energy" as Adults Embrace Back-to-School Shopping

Brooklyn shop offers rebellious office supplies and gifts under $20 for grown-ups who still get September fever

BROOKLYN, NY (July 25, 2025) – While retailers traditionally target students and parents during back-to-school season, Brooklyn-based GetBullish has discovered a lucrative third demographic: adults who haven't set foot in a classroom in decades but still feel an irresistable urge to buy fresh supplies every September.

"There's a popular meme that says 'there's nothing a new notebook won't fix,' and our sales data proves it's absolutely true," said Jennifer Dziura, founder of GetBullish. "We see a cute lil spike in orders from millennials and Gen X-ers who are basically shopping for their inner 12-year-old."

Since 2013, Dziura has been designing and curating office supplies that help adults "express their very strong opinions in ways they can't always do in person with their actual mouth."

Every back-to-school season, GetBullish sees an increase in orders from adults seeking alternatives to corporate-approved desk supplies – some of whom are also shopping for their own teenagers.

The Psychology of September Shopping

The phenomenon isn't limited to former students. GetBullish's customer base includes working professionals who stock up on sarcastic desk supplies, parents who coordinate rebellious lunch boxes with their teens, and remote workers who treat September like their personal office refresh season.

Current trends in lunch boxes include bamboo bento boxes, Indian-inspired metal tiffins, and Japanese bento wrapping cloths. "Adults who experienced that 'fresh start' feeling of new school supplies never really lose it," explained Dziura, who has spoken about career design at Harvard, Yale, and MIT. "September hits, and suddenly they need new pens, a cute lunch box, and stickers for their laptop – even if they work from their kitchen table."

Sweary Pens for Grown-Up Problems

GetBullish's signature pen collections have become cult favorites among adults navigating workplace politics and parenting stress. Their signature "Sweary F*** Pens" are packed with profanity, including "Don't Steal My Pen, You F***ing F***" and "F*** Right Off There, F***ity McF***face."

For professionals seeking motivation with an edge, GetBullish Originals offers gel pen sets including "Anti-Procrastination" ($11.95), "Mastermind" ($11.95), and "Sexy People" ($11.95) – all designed in-house and priced as affordable gifts under $20.  

Stickers: The Gateway Drug to Self-Expression

Among actual students, GetBullish's original sticker collection dominates sales, with teens using vinyl decals to personalize water bottles, laptops, notebooks, and – in slightly illegal acts of rebellion – school locke rs. Popular student picks include "Emotional Support Pigeon" ($3.50), "Furious Girls Club" ($3.50), and the holographic "Manic Pixie Eldritch Horror" ($3.50).

But it's the adult sticker buyers who surprise Dziura most. "We have 45-year-old executives buying 'I've Heard Enough From Old White Men' stickers for their work laptops," she noted. "There's something deeply satisfying about passive-aggressive office décor."

The store's reusable sticker storage books ($14.95) have become unexpected bestsellers among adult collectors who treat sticker acquisition like a serious hobby.

Office Supplies from Independent Makers Who Get Adult Life

GetBullish's back-to-school collection features carefully curated items from over 150 vendors, with nearly all being women-owned businesses.

Ban.do's "Write On Compliments" pencil set ($12.95) offers pre-sharpened pencils perfect for adults who need daily affirmations, while Studio Oh offers pretty notebooks, including one featuring the 1970s-1980s retro "Little Miss and Mr. Men" characters, perfect for former Seventies and Eighties kids with a sense of back to school nostalgia.

For more '80s retro action, the store offers novelty scented pens from Snifty starting at $5.95, including pizza, chocolate chip cookie, and cherry scents. "If you're stuck in a boring meeting, your pen might as well smell like dessert," Dziura explained.

White Elephant Gifts That Make Office Politics Bearable

Most of GetBullish's supplies fall into their popular "cheap gifts" category, making them perfect for office gift exchanges, teacher appreciation, and white elephant parties. With stickers starting at $3.50, individual pens at $2.50, and full pen sets under $15, adults can indulge their September shopping urges without financial guilt.

Popular office gifts include coordinated pen and sticker sets ($15-20), desk accessory bundles, and the store's "World's Best Cup" sticker tumbler ($39.95) that comes with custom sticker packs for personalizing workspaces.

Gift Ideas Under $30 for the Perpetually Back-to-School

The sweet spot for adult back-to-school shopping falls between $10-25, with customers mixing practical items (quality pens, notebooks) with personality pieces (sarcastic stickers, motivational magnets): a popular original GetBullish phrase appearing on stickers, mugs, and tees is "Girls Just Wanna Have Guillotines."

"That's kind of where we're at right now," Dziura observed. "I mean, back to school is nice, but our audience is living in a constant state of bubbling rage, so ... the fall zeitgeist has a little more than pumpkin spice right now."

About GetBullish

Founded in 2010 by Jennifer Dziura, GetBullish began as a feminist career advice column and evolved into a Brooklyn-based shop specializing in feminist merchandise, gifts under $20, office gifts, white elephant gifts, and supplies for adults who refuse to grow up completely. The store operates from Industry City, a complex of re-imagined warehouses on the Brooklyn waterfront, and ships daily Monday through Friday with free shipping on US orders over $50.

Dziura has personally designed over 300 items sold in the store, with these original designs also available in over 300 boutiques nationwide. The company remains independently owned and woman-operated, shipping over 5,000 items ranging from "funny, feminist, and often profane" gifts that appeal to inner teenagers everywhere.

GetBullish's back-to-school collection can be found at https://shop.getbullish.com/collections/back-to-school as well as shop.getbullish.com/collections/pencils and shop.getbullish.com/collections/stickers, alongside their full range of sarcastic home decor and affordable gift ideas under $30.

Contact: GetBullish help@getbullish.com shop.getbullish.com