Written by: Khaloula

Edited by: Mehek

Growing up, it was the norm to utilize backpacks as a means to carry school items. One doesn’t simply hold their daily school items by hand going from the language to the math hallway. However, in recent years, high school students have become increasingly fond of opting for tote bags, rather than the classical backpack. 

Students use these totes not only to store their daily school supplies but also as a fashion accessory. This trend is relentlessly driven by the supposed enhancement tote bags can provide to one’s style. The student news site of The Pepperbox describes tote bags as a “medium to large bag with two parallel handles”, making such bags come in a wider variety of sizes, colors, and brands compared to backpacks. With this, fashion-conscious teenagers are more likely to switch out their middle school backpacks for well-made totes. 

Rhobi, a sophomore, says “totes are just better to use” and explains that they are a more interesting stylistic choice to don due to their many colors and designs. She also remarks that most of her friends wear tote bags, and they all have an easier time organizing their items. This is due to the easy access of the tote bag’s main zipper, allowing the user to save time in finding lost items. 

An unnamed junior says that although totes can have higher price points, “how good they look is worth it”. Unfortunately, these bags come with an additional and often overlooked price. In the long run, totes can lead to body pain. “Sometimes when I wear mine on my right shoulder for too long, it starts to hurt, so I have to switch it to my left,” said the junior. According to Spencer Chiropractic Center, “carrying an oversized tote can cause your weight distribution to come off balance and place pressure on your joints, causing inflammation.” However, when asked about the hassle and pain this causes, the junior claimed not to care. 

Backpacks, however, also remain popular. Doryne, a sophomore, says that they help ease her school life as she doesn’t need to “carry everything in her hands”. Monica, another sophomore, also states that backpacks help “avoid having shoulder pain” since the weight of the bag is equally distributed across both shoulders, providing balance for the average student’s tired back. Both also noted the bigger storage space backpacks have, compared to totes. 

The seemingly collective change from wearing a classic backpack to unique totes is an interesting shift in the ISM community. People have different ways of expressing themselves, and with the strict limitations the uniform provides, students have limited outlets to express their style and personality. Whether that’s through a mustard yellow Kanken backpack or a blue Goyard tote bag, such stylistic choices are up to the students to make. They even add a pop of color to one’s daily walks around campus. It really is interesting to see a glimpse of everyone’s personalities with their bags, and a blindingly shiny tote won’t ruin anyone’s day. 

Works Referenced

“The Worst (and Best) Bags for Your Back.” Spencer Chiropractic, 6 Mar. 2020, http://www.spencerchiropracticcenter.com/2020/03/06/the-worst-and-best-bags-for-your-back/#:~:text=Oversized%20totes%20that%20carry%20a. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.
Toledo, Lila. “Totes vs. Backpacks.” The Pepperbox, thepepperbox.com/opinion/totes-vs-backpacks/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.