The contents of a backpack–or tote, or purse, or knapsack–can reveal as much about a person as any average conversation. At Poly, the items students and teachers carry around demonstrate not just their basic needs but also their habits, personalities and unique stories. By taking just a peek into what people lug around every day, we can see that our school is full of idiosyncratic individuals whose belongings say a lot about them.
Several students transform their bags into mobile supply closets. Where lockers fail, backpacks can pick up the slack. Sophomore Mira Mavis, the president of Heart Club, a group dedicated to teaching people CPR and bringing awareness to emergency situations, is often equipped with a backpack and a tote. “In my Heart Club bag, I have three CPR mannequins. I have a box of Hi-Chews, a box of Choco-Pies and my Heart Club binder that includes some flyers about cardiac arrest and heart attacks, and sign-up sheets for our training session,” she said. Mavis’s bag is largely representative of the culture at Poly––many students balance their coursework with their sundry interests outside of classes.
Teachers, unsurprisingly, pack their bags with their own necessities. Upper School History teacher Dr. Samuel Anderson seems to have a minimalistic approach. His bag, he admitted, is about ten years old and falling apart (thrifty and trendy, possibly). “I bring my laptop back and forth from home to school every day and my planner so I know what I have to do,” he said. His other essentials, like a pair of sunglasses, a water bottle and a piece of fruit, are carefully managed. Anderson often carries the same piece of fruit all week, explaining, “I bring the same piece of fruit back and forth to school every day for the week and usually on Friday I eat it.” Anderson’s fruit schedule could rival a reality TV show with its unexpected guests and hyped release dates. But on a more thoughtful note, noticing small habits like this reminds us that teachers have their own routines and quirks, just like students. So next time you see a teacher juggling papers, coffee and an orange from Monday, pause for a second before panicking about that ungraded paper––it’ll get done soon. In the meantime, let them eat their fruit.
Upper School English teacher Alex Jimenez offered another glimpse into the seemingly secretive life of a teacher. His L.L.Bean tote, a gift from a former student, carries a variety of items. “I have grading I have not passed back, although I finished grading it a long time ago. I’m always carrying around my grading. I like to, especially if I haven’t done it. I can feel the weight of it, and it just sits on me until I finish it,” he said. Alongside this reminder, he carries a portable charger (his phone is perpetually at 20%, which he attributes to being a Pisces), “The Joy Luck Club,” and an empty Kiehl’s moisturizer container saved for a recycling discount. He also carries a personal journal, explaining, “It’s actually dangerous to have on campus. ‘Cause it’s my personal thoughts and feelings.” Jimenez’s bag, summarized, is part office and part eccentric.
If there’s a lesson to be learned from all of this, it’s that bags are personal statements, revealing the interesting combinations of habits and quirks that make up life at Poly. Some are missing, some are meticulously organized and some are chaotic. At the end of the day, bags have a lot to say about each person you pass in the hallways.
