We’ve all been asked the classic ‘What’s in your bag?’ either by a curious friend—or a disgruntled teacher discovering our less-than-ideal organizational skills. But a more intriguing, lighthearted question might be to ask, ‘What’s on the outside of your bag?’ Whether covered in keychains, plushies or other assorted knickknacks, an oddly decorated backpack can be a fun conversation starter, especially for first-day jitters.
Lost on where to start? Fear not—here are several Northwood students who can inspire you to embrace your own quirkiness as you step into your next season of self-expression.
Collect as you go: Plethoras of pins
With 28 pins proudly attached to her tote bag, senior Charlie Parris has collected a variety of buttons that honor her high school journey.
Most of the buttons, featuring musicals such as “Freaky Friday,” “Come From Away” and “Hadestown,” commemorate Parris’ wacky escapade in Indiana at the International Thespian Festival with her theatre friends. The week-long trip, filled with performances and workshops, was especially memorable for the aspiring playwright.
“The pins are a reminder of what we’ve went through,” Parris said. “It was unlike anything else I’d ever done. There were wild times, like waking up to someone singing the ‘Defying Gravity’ riff from the stairwell at 5:30 in the morning.”
Since then, Parris has added more to her ever-growing collection, from colorful pins with cute animals to cheesy phrases in retro fonts. For aspiring collectors, Parris advises to always be on the lookout for free pin collecting opportunities.
“The pin bucket at BoxLunch saves lives,” Parris said. “I will root in that thing for 20 minutes just to find the good ones. Clearly, it works.”
Literally, add anything: Kinder egg car and Chiikawa photo frame
Junior Helen Zheng prefers simplicity. Attached with a makeshift string keychain, her white miniature plastic race car shows that even a toy from a Kinder egg can be transformed to make a statement.
“It reminds me of my favorite car, which is the 1992 F1 Championship winning one,” Zheng said.
Zheng also carries a small photo frame decorated with Chiikawa characters. The glittery plastic frame holds funny photos of Zheng and her friends—a fond reminder of the memories they’ve made.
“Me and my friend brought matching frames,” Zheng said. “We keep each other’s pictures in there for memories. One of my friends moved away, so it’s nice to know that she’s kind of here.”
Zheng considers both items to be her lucky charms—one reflecting her passion for cars, the other a connection to the people she cherishes.
Embrace your inner child (or inner geek): Plush Hercules beetle
Who says you can’t still be a child at heart? Adorned with five chunky plushies, senior Olivia Kesler’s bag is an adorable keychain haven. Each cute character reflects her interests, including the beloved Mew from Pokémon and a more unexpected companion: a plush Hercules beetle, Kesler’s favorite insect.
“I really like insects. To have a Hercules beetle plushie is not conventional, but I think these are really cute,” Kesler said. “If I could have them as a pet, I would absolutely have one.”
Kesler encourages students to embrace what delights them most, no matter how common—or uncommon—those interests are.
“Keychains and pins are a really fun way to express yourself,” Kesler said. “Whenever I see people around with keychains and pins on their bags, I think, ‘Yeah, that person’s cool.’”
