Backpacks are the key to an iconic school year, and what a student carries shows their determination, readiness, and personality. But for most, their bag is weighted down by junk and unused items, adding extra weight (and shoulder pain). To prepare you all for the upcoming school year, here are some examples of what’s in the backpacks of Jackson-Reed students!
Freshman Lila Smith surprised me by opening her backpack to reveal a giant bag of Chipotle. She stated that she “was inspired by [her friend] Phoenix,” a sophomore who you might see walking around the halls, holding some sort of fast-food drink at all times. I stared in awe as the bag took up all the space in Lila’s backpack, with no school supplies in sight. She happily chatted about her Chipotle order the rest of the time.
The next student, senior Patrick Eleazar, coincidentally also brought in food: “A half-eaten pizza,” he said, which he was saving for his girlfriend. Very cute, and not at all academic! Shout out to all the seniors and juniors who can go off campus for lunch though; we underclassmen are unfortunately locked in this cage of eating school lunch in classrooms.
The final student, sophomore Zia Batler-Landau, pulled out a basically unusable, broken folder with the spine cracked and falling off, math homework crumpled inside. It looked both very loved and very hated. Nonetheless, it’s a staple for all students at the end of the year to have destroyed or lost school supplies that never last as long as promised. If you go up to literally anyone and ask to see that one folder stuffed deep within their bag, chances are it looks like it got personally smashed by the Hulk.
Personally, I relate to Zia as my bag is filled with loose paper, broken school supplies, and all my swagger. Seriously, there is nothing important inside, but the outside is decorated with pins and keychains (as cool people do). But sure, next year maybe I’ll keep my school bag “academic.”
As students, we all need our backpacks with daily necessities for school. Hopefully, this inspired you, and you now know what to bring for next year! •