It’s no question that the backpack is one of the most useful and versatile inventions: it’s used around the world for all kinds of purposes, from carrying around textbooks to holding a basketball. We use backpacks on a daily basis for all of our supplies, including books, binders, pencil cases, and more. Here are a few common things that we’ve seen people carry:
1. The Everyday Essentials
These are the absolute necessities, the ones you probably already have in your backpack and the ones that come to every class. Notebooks, a binder, and your pencil case—all the basics you can’t make it through the day without. Of course, no backpack is complete without the other small things that keep you going, like your lunch and water bottle to stay hydrated. If you’re worried about keeping track of the dozen assignments due next week, we recommend keeping a planner or stack of sticky notes handy—they’re perfect for jotting down reminders, deadlines, or random ideas that hit you in the middle of class.
2. The Handy Extras
These are the small but mighty things that make your day just a little better. Carrying around a spare hand sanitizer or pack of tissues always comes in handy, especially during long school days; they also eventually become life support when allergy season rolls around. Keep smaller items in a pouch along with a mini-hairbrush for bad hair days, and we can ensure you’ll never be caught unprepared again. A charger is essential when your phone or laptop battery starts running low, and we would recommend investing in a strong powerbank for the night you forget to charge your phone. Finally, headphones are a must for study halls or walks between classes. While not exactly “essential,” once you start carrying them, you’ll wonder how you ever went without them.
3. The “Just in Case” Items
Whether on a cold day during the fall, a slushy day in winter, or a downpour in the spring, you don’t want to be caught in the midst of a storm. Having an umbrella or raincoat ready means you’ll never have to sprint through the rain again. A small first-aid kit with band-aids and pain relievers can make a huge difference when accidents happen, and keeping a little bit of cash tucked away is always smart for the vending machine or lunch line. These small precautions might not seem necessary every day, but when you need them, you’ll be glad they’re there.
4. The “I’m Starving” Must-Haves
“Do you have any food?” might just be the most common phrase heard around Tenafly. Whether it’s in the hallways, during gym, or after seeing an infinitely-long lunch line, snacks are the real heroes of the day. Granola bars, chips, or even a secret stash of candy can keep you going when lunch seems too far away. We highly recommend keeping a pack of gum in your backpack at all times—maybe even two, because the second you pull one out mid-class, everyone will want a piece! Keeping a few of these little treats tucked in your backpack guarantees you’ll never face a growling stomach in silence again.
5. The Bits at the Bottom of the Bag
We’ve all been there—you’re a quarter short on something you want to buy, you need a singular tissue, you can’t find a paperclip, or maybe you’re struggling to even find an eraser, but the bottom of the bag sends you a blessing. Getting a new backpack is always nice, but letting go of a “well-seasoned” bag is one of the saddest experiences. You lose years of perfectly curated trash that could well end up becoming your treasure in a random moment. That’s because you never know when you’re going to need it and sometimes, procrastinating on your backpack clean-out can save you in the long run.
The items in your backpack should be uniquely yours—perfectly curated to your standards. Whether you find yourself a neat, essentials-only kind of student, a meticulously organized for speed and efficiency type of person, or a snacky, “everything bag” fanatic who’s prepared for any sudden urge or minor emergency, your backpack is a place to be yourself. Filled with all the signs of your everyday routines, it acts as a reflection to how you work on the inside.
Do you have a neatly folded jacket? Perhaps a slightly-worn notebook, a favorite brand of pen, or even an emergency stash of candy? If your answer is “yes” to any of those questions, we want to turn the question over to you: What do you keep in your backpack?
