Mechanical pencils are neat because you only have to purchase lead for 'em so I choose those although I did like the normal wooden pencils several years ago
I prefer mechanical pencils over regular ones. These are the pros and cons of each type of pencil as far as I know:
Regular Pencil:
Pros: -Tends to be harder to break -You can write harder with these pencils
Cons: -Harder to sharpen (mechanical pencils simply have either a button or a twisty thing to sharpen the pencil) -Tends to require specific positioning to work -Writing is uncomfortable
Mechanical Pencil:
Pros: -Easy to sharpen -Can work in any position -Writing is more comfortable
Cons: -Easier to break -You can't write as heavy with mechanical pencils
Based on these pros and cons, I think the mechanical pencil is better except when you need to write heavy (the mechanical pencil can handle normal writing). Also, I think I only go through a few pencils every year (sometimes I lose a pencil, sometimes it runs out of lead).
I use pen more often than not so it's a moot point in most cases. However when the opportunity arises, usually science or math, I use a Ticonderoga, however my pencil never seems to stay sharp for more than a few lines which results in my notes starting out neat and turning into a scrawled mess at the end.
I always fill my notebooks with hastily scrawled writing.. Though really, when I use pencils the sharpness of the point isn't that much of an issue until the lead is worn quite a lot, in fact close to the point of needing to be resharpened.
