What's In My Bag?

Pictured above is my school backpack and eight of my most essential school items. My backpack is from Roots and able to carry all of the shown items; thus, it has many pockets and space within. Read below to learn why I carry the items as shown above!

1) List of each item in my schoolbag and how I use it:

My zipper binder is the first important item in my backpack, and because I use it a lot throughout the day, I usually carry it in my arms. This crucial accessory holds my daily writing utensils (pencil, eraser, pen, etc.), lined paper, hardcopy class documents, and my homework agenda. My binder is a daily need for me to keep my belongings in one area; thus, I always carry it with me or in my backpack.

The second most important item found in my backpack is my laptop. Modern education relies on technology, and due to attending a BYOD school, I need to have a laptop. This is where my digital notes, assignments, and files are stored in; hence, it is necessary to have my laptop with me everyday for school. 

Similarly to my laptop, my phone is an essential accessory. It serves as a means of communication between my family and I, and the apps I have connect me to my school (such as MySchoolDay, Gmail, OneDrive, and Teams). If I ever need to quickly find something online/digitally, I will use my phone as opposed to taking out my laptop, which is why I always carry my phone in my backpack.

I carry a small wallet in my backpack to store my student ID and public library card. Since I do not need to bring money to school, I do not bring my bigger wallet. In case of school events or for accessing the public library, I always have this wallet in my backpack. 

Usually in elective classes, I will need to use colour in my hardcopy assignments. Therefore, I always carry my pencil crayons and fineliners in my backpack.  Especially for this semester that I have a Visual Arts class, I will be using these utensils on many days, so it is important to carry them in my backpack.

I also carry my house key in my backpack for when I walk home after school.  I use this item almost everyday, so it is important for me to keep it in a safe place. My backpack is always with me throughout the school day; thus, storing my key in one of the smaller pockets makes it easier to find when going home.

I always carry earphones in my backpack because it may come to use when being assigned to independently watch a video in class. Although I may not use this item on a daily basis, it is still important to be in my backpack because I would never know when it may be required for my learning. For example, if asked to independently watch a short documentary for Comparative Cultures, I will connect my earphones to my laptop and watch it.

Last but not least, I always have a bandage container with some Band-Aids in my backpack. This is a first-aid item that may come to use in case of a minor accident (such as when getting a paper cut or cutting something). This item has come in handy many times and I have been able to give a Band-Aid to a classmate if they required one. Therefore, I find it important to carry this item in my backpack.

2) Thinking about the course, Comparative Cultures, what are the "texts" in your bag? What do these items say about how you engage with language and communication? Think about the words written on your artifacts.

There are a few texts in my backpack that symbolize how I engage with my language and communication. First, my backpack is labelled as "Roots"---a brand name company known for their leather products. My backpack also contains some leather pieces and this shows that I understand and favour how Roots incorporates leather in their backpacks. My laptop is "Dell" and has some stickers from the school reading "BYOD" and "Pinetree Secondary". Having had this laptop since the beginning of the school year, it shows people that I am satisfied with Dell products and the stickers communicate how I am borrowing the school's laptop to meet my academic requirements. Thus, in the beginning of the school year, I was able to communicate my need of a device to the school. Next to my laptop is my "Five Star" binder. From this text, people could explicate how I work really hard in my academics and achieve a "five star" result. This text also conveys how I buy from trusted brands in which their products would last for a longer time. Texts are also found on my pencil crayon packaging which prove how I communicate with others to represent the brand of pencil crayons I use and am satisfied with using. Finally, the bandage holder reads "Mississauga". It serves as a memory of one of the cities I have briefly lived in and shows people how I still carry a piece of that time with me. I got this item from my community center in Mississauga and it shows how I engaged with people to attain this prize.

3) How might these items (artifacts) be considered "texts" and what do they say about you, the places you inhabit, the cultures with which you engage, and/or the activities you take up?

These artifacts might be considered texts because they symbolize and convey to people my personality, past experiences/memories, and what I consider as essential items for school. For instance, by looking at my simple, black backpack, people around me might notice how I am a self-effacing student---not claiming attention and solely focusing on my schoolwork. Similarly, and as mentioned before, my Five Star zipper binder portrays that I strive for academic success. It represents my remarkable organization skills and how I value neatness. The art utensils represent how I enjoy making artwork during my leisure time. These colourful items also remind me to appreciate the beauty of colour and diverse cultures around me, which makes me destress (serving as a coping mechanism). The key, my wallet, and bandage holder tell people about the places I visit or have visited; they describe the different settings and cultures I have interacted with over the past few years. For example, attending school, going to the library, my house, and having lived in Mississauga, Ontario. Moreover, the technological devices show people that I am connected to the digital world and have the literacy skills required to navigate through sources and make good use of them. Ultimately, these artifacts demonstrate who I am as a person and student.

4) Optional Question: What would this same bag have looked like 5 years ago and 10 years ago?

Five years ago, I would have been in grade 7, and my backpack would not have had some of the items I carry today. To begin with, I would not have had a wallet with my student ID or library card because my middle school did not provide student IDs and I would not be going to the library as often. Also, I would not have had a bigger binder with this much storage space because my teachers would be giving out duotangs that would remain in the classroom. I also did not have a phone at that time and would not have needed to carry a laptop or earphones to school because it was not a BYOD middle school. My backpack from five years ago would not have had a bandage holder because I only got that in grade 9. Nevertheless, my backpack from five years ago would still be from Roots, but in a pink/purple colour and without leather. It would have contained a smaller binder (not a zipper one though) to carry miscellaneous loose papers; it would still have had lots of fineliners and pencil crayons, in addition to markers; it would be carrying my house key, which I would have recently been given; and finally would carry my gym bag for gym classes.

Ten years ago, I would have been in grade 2, and my backpack would have looked entirely different! First, it would not be a Roots backpack, but a cartoon-themed backpack with only one zipper. It would have contained a lunch bag and no binder. It would have carried an agenda provided by the school to keep track of my homework and serve as a means of communication between my parents and teacher. It would have had a pencil case with lots of gel pens and cartoon erasers. In whole, my backpack would have symbolized a 7-year-old student.