Amy: No. 2 Pencils/Wooden are better

The long debate over which reigns superior, wooden No. 2 pencils or mechanical pencils, has been a continuing and controversial topic among the student body. So, let’s get straight to the point. Which one is better? As a No. 2 pencil fan, I can confidently say that No. 2 pencils are the best writing tool for a multitude of reasons: they’re more reliable, cheaper, and better for the environment.
The constant need to purchase lead, find the right type, and make sure it works for the pencil can be a complete nuisance. When using a wooden pencil, users can easily re-sharpen the pencil. However, if it’s mechanical, the user has to go through the hassle of purchasing more and more items. Hope Suh, a junior at Horace Greeley, says, “The lead is really easy to lose and it’s annoying having to refill the lead constantly.” In order to save her the time of perpetually having to run to the store, Hope opts for wooden pencils completely. “They’re so much more convenient to use,” Hope says — a testament that couldn’t be more true.
Moreover, mechanical pencils are much more expensive than their wooden counterparts, as Medium shares. Eleanor Keenan, a junior at Horace Greeley and a wooden pencil supporter, agrees with Hope and finds that constantly has to buy lead racks up her stationery bills. She states that “lead is expensive,” and that mechanical pencils are “not worth the extra cost” for many reasons: the lead in mechanical pencils is far too fragile and because of this, the pencils become “unstable.” She struggles to use mechanical pencils in class due to the fact that they “break when you apply even a little bit of pressure.” Throughout the student body, there’s no doubt that the snapping of lead in a mechanical pencil is a shared, dreaded, and frequent experience. Students can rest assured that they will never face this issue with a wooden pencil, which rarely ever breaks or snaps in such a way. She also finds that the “wooden pencil is far more comfortable to hold”— not to mention the old-timey nostalgia that comes with the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil.
In addition, mechanical pencils may not be as green for the environment as their proponents claim. While they can be used “indefinitely” (although most tend to break in a rather short time), the plastic pencil itself, the packaging, and many of the overall resources needed contribute to several issues for the environment such as filling up landfills and contributing to global warming, as Forest Ethics, a nonprofit focused on protecting California forests, states in a Slate article.
As the more eco-friendly, stable, and cheap option, the traditional wooden pencil indubitably beats the newer, mechanical utensil in almost every category. After all, the wooden pencil has managed to stand the toughest test, the test of time, which speaks enough for itself.

Elizabeth: Mechanical pencils are better

In the realm of writing utensils, the divide between traditional wooden No. 2 pencils and mechanical pencils has sparked discussions among students, teachers, artists, and professionals alike. While each implement has its own advantages and disadvantages, the efficiency, precision, and flexibility demonstrate that mechanical pencils are the clear winner.
Firstly, the unmatched precision of mechanical pencils sets them apart from their traditional No. 2 counterparts. Users of mechanical pencils have the unique option to select their own lead size, elevating them to a much higher level of control over the pencil line’s thickness and subsequently the intricacy and quality of their work. Mrs. Karlson, a math teacher at Horace Greeley, makes a very clear distinction between the various lead sizes available for mechanical pencils. “I prefer a mechanical pencil with the following requirement: 0.7mm diameter!” she exclaims, adding, “0.5mm will simply not be acceptable!” Whether or not the pencil user is opting for a fine 0.5mm lead for precise details, a broader 0.9mm lead for thicker, bolder strokes, or a 0.7mm lead for versatile, daily use, the user’s preferences can easily be catered to thanks to the sheer versatility of mechanical pencils.
Another notable advantage that mechanical pencils hold over wooden No. 2 pencils is their consistent and uniform lines. Greeley sophomore Cindy Chen remarks, “Whenever I use No. 2 pencils, the thickness of my pencil lines changes whenever I slightly change the angle I’m holding my pencil at or the pressure I’m applying to the pencil.” She also notes that this can lead to complications when doing classwork and assessments, explaining, “Writing in-class essays with No. 2 pencils can be annoying because some of the words turn out really light and others turn out really bold just because I change the angle I’m writing at.” Unlike traditional No. 2 pencils, where line thickness can vary unpredictably, writing with mechanical pencils can help maintain a constant line width, contributing to a cleaner and more professional-looking result.
Perhaps one of the greatest features of mechanical pencils that traditional No. 2 pencils lack is the fact that they do not rely on constant sharpening. Mrs. Karlson echoes this notion, describing, “I personally need a sharp point at all times so a No. 2 pencil is a challenge when I am not around a sharpener, which is why I prefer mechanical pencils.” While wooden No. 2 pencils require frequent trips to a pencil sharpener, which isn’t always available in every classroom and is often missing from many students’ pencil cases, a simple click of a mechanical pencil can bring users an uninterrupted writing session and allow students and teachers alike to focus on their work without having to worry about blunt or broken tips.
Overall, mechanical pencils hold a wide array of pros over their less efficient counterparts. From their customizable lead sizes and consistent line widths to their convenience of not needing sharpening, it’s evident that users of mechanical pencils—including bestselling author Neil Gaiman and president of the MoMA Lillie P to name just a few iconic fans—will rule the world!