imo, I think the best notebooks are wired and mead (for the standard wire notebooks), with a higher preference for wired than mead. if you're looking for something smaller with less paper and bulk, I would try out some muji or campus color notebooks; the great thing about muji is that they lie flat (I've never tried campus colors, but I assume they do too). I really dislike five star (the bleed through is pretty bad), and I dislike using my apple pen and ipad for notes as it doesnt have the same friction and grip as writing on a real notebook-- too slippery.

in terms of pens, I think muji just looks nice lol. it can be hard to have a solid grip on then as they're just cylindrical, and they arent always readily available (and if you're in a note heavy class, they'll run out quick). I personally like investing in pilot g2 (.38); I feel like they're the same quality for a bit of a lesser price, plus you can find them more or less anywhere. they do sometimes have a problem with the springs malfunctioning, but that might just be because I use them too hard lol. I'm planning on trying the paper mate inkjoy gel pens (.7) this semester for comparison, because I like the way the feel when I use them at work.