Correction: The name of Layla Brito was incorrectly spelled as Laya Brito. The name of Dominic Barrios was incorrectly spelled Dominic Barris. The name of Francia Luna was incorrectly spelled as Francina Luna. We apologize for the error.
This year, bags brought by students, such as two-strap backpacks, designer bags and messenger bags, showcase aspects of their personality. Students add their own touch to their bags, such as pins, patches, and keychains, acting as a window to their interests that includes the type of bag they carry. The designs of bags tend to portray what goes through a person’s mind and mental state.
Cartoon backpacks is a common trend amongst seniors; meanwhile others use messenger bags and stylish bags generally used for show, and Jansport backpacks that typically endure four years of high school or more.
Strong durable backpacks such as Herschel are suitable for daily student use, the same reason why sophomore Dominic Barris got this backpack, from a retailer known for its streetwear style, selling apparel, footwear, accessories and hard goods for teenagers and young adults.
“I got mine from Zumiez…mine’s stronger material, it’ll last longer,” Barrios said.
Instead of the classic two-strap backpacks, for instance, Jansport, well known for being iconic, mainly for its classic SuperBreak model, or NorthFace with the utility for school and travel, students are also carrying alternative bag designs, such as tote bags, crossbody bags or messenger bags, mainly in the one-strap category.
Senior Francia Luna wasn’t aware she could bring a bag other than a two-strap backpack until the alternative bags brought by other students caught her attention.
“I just saw a lot of people wearing it, and I was just like, oh, you can bring your own bag? I was like, okay, that’s pretty nice; so yeah, I just ended up getting one,” Luna said.
Although kids’ backpacks, in other words, cartoon backpacks, aren’t as unique as the alternative backpacks, it still can shine a part of their personality and interests.
Cartoon backpacks are a token before entering adult life and a way to commemorate their last year in high school, preparing to leave clubs they committed their time and effort to, sports that trained them physically and emotionally, and activities they leave behind.
Senior Tyler Gomez had a choice of purchasing a cartoon backpack, which he now carries to also follow the senior tradition.
“My mom asked if I wanted the bag. I said yes, of course, but when I was a freshman, I used to see everyone have the kids backpacks so I was like, I can’t wait to be a senior so I can get a kids backpack,” Gomez said.
Most seniors’ kid backpacks aren’t just for appreciating all their school years, but also reliving early childhood memories. Sometimes the nostalgia of it all brings them that mindfulness feeling, which causes motivation and contentment.
Alexia Lopez, a senior, has more fun with her bags when she uses them because of the design and interior pockets that add a nice touch. In addition, using fun and colorful backpacks takes her back to the feeling of elementary school.
” makes you have more fun with it; I go in to reach my notes, and it’s like, oh, you know, it’s a cool backpack to, like, pull out or anything, because I have a kids’ backpack too. It just makes me feel very like I’m back in elementary, and it’s very, very fun, too. Colors make my eyes happy and my brain happy,” Lopez said.
Students have aesthetically pleasing school bags for a purpose. Balanced, matching, and complementary colors can actually affect how one feels. It sparks inspiration, comfort, and improves mental health, all important elements needed to get through this school year.
According to “Beyond Beauty: How aesthetics contribute to mental health” written by Sanctum Med + Wellness, Dallas’ first social wellness club, “A cluttered room can make you feel stressed, while a space filled with items you find beautiful can lift your spirits. Simple changes, like organizing your desk or adding a plant to your living space, can significantly impact your mood.”
In simpler words, where a person is or what they see, their emotions may mirror it. If someone has a disorganized, cluttered backpack, the mind can’t think clearly because it’s constantly worrying about where specific paperwork is, when it’s due, and what has to be done.
According to Sanctum Med + Wellness, “Color psychology says that different colors can affect how we feel. For example, blue can make us feel calm, while red might pump us up … Aesthetics in our daily lives are about creating spaces that energize, comfort, or inspire us, proving that sometimes, it’s the little changes that bring the biggest impacts to our wellbeing.”
Mental health is a huge fragment in any sort of healthy success. Therefore, the aesthetics of a bag could affect someone’s mood, the way ideas are processed, and the way school papers are organized. Organization is another key factor for students, which is why a bag someone actually enjoys motivates them to look after it, which develops a neat and organized bag.
Instead of using a backpack someone disregards and only uses to shove papers in and forget about it later, Gomez utilizes a cartoon backpack that he keeps decent and in order because it’s not just any ordinary backpack, but the last backpack he will use for senior year.
“I think it makes you, makes you want to organize more, since you actually care about it, how it looks, since it’s just not like a normal jansport backpack where you just show your papers in, so I feel like it forces you, like to organize more, because like if you like something you’re gonna want to keep it clean and organized,” Gomez said.
Organization leaves space to be creative, due to this, students can decorate their bags using inspiration from their favorite movies or television shows. For senior Francina Luna, it can also act as a fashion statement.
“Mine’s a Hello Kitty bag, so I really love Hello Kitty and it’s a leather bag … I mean, yeah, maybe it’s a pain to have it on your shoulder, but it’s like a fashion, fashion statement,” said Luna.
For each personality, there is a bag to go with it, whether it be for storage purposes, or as a way to capture people’s attention, they each shine unique aspects of themselves.
