Have you ever wondered what to pack in a school backpack? Walk down a hallway at Raleigh Charter High School, and you’ll instantly notice there are always two distinct types of students. Some carry backpacks packed like they’re going on a two-week trip, while others walk into class with just a Chromebook and a pencil. What students carry in their backpacks reveals a lot about their daily habits at school.
For some students, a backpack needs to be packed and prepared for every possible scenario. They prepare the essentials such as binders, notebooks, a pencil case, and folders. Besides those essential items, they have a massive emergency kit, including portable chargers, snacks, lotion, 2-3 different lip products, and an emergency umbrella. Anything you list, they can have it all in their backpack.
Unzipping their backpack is like opening a portable convenience store that has everything you need.
“You’ll never know what’s gonna happen at school,” said junior Fatima Masoud, who has a backpack that roughly weighs about 20 pounds. “My back always hurts by the end of the day, but I think it’s worth it to be prepared for everything.”
Then, on the other hand, there are the minimalists who either refuse to carry extra weight or don’t know what to pack.
“I almost always go to school with only a pencil and a Chromebook,” said junior Hollis Baker. “In most of my classes, the assignments are online and we are allowed to take notes online in some classes, so there’s no need to carry a thick binder or extra notebook.”
And if a teacher asks to take notes on a piece of paper or a pencil, the minimalist relies on their overpacked friends.
Whether a backpack weighs 20 pounds or weighs as little as almost nothing, it shows students handle their school days in various ways.
