Bookbag Essentials

Throughout the school year, you’ll probably change your clothes, shoes, routine, and etc., but the one thing that’ll most likely stay the same is your bookbag. The stuff in your bad shouldn’t stay the same either though. And I know how rare it is as a teen to actually look into our bags and take out whatever’s not needed, but it’s a habit we should try getting into as it’s easy to forget how much extra weight we’re carrying on our backs. On the other hand, here’re some essentials we should keep in our bags year-round: 

 

Hygienic Supplies 

When going to school, it’s important to make sure we look and smell good for any possible opportunities that may come up throughout the day. To do this we should try keeping a pocketable Vaseline, hand sanitizer, deodorant, towel, and etc. 

 

Water Bottle

Our bodies are produced of around 50 – 60 percent water, and our brains are 90 percent water. So to function properly through our 7ish hours of the school day, it’s important to make sure we stay hydrated throughout. Considering we go to school early in the morning, it’s especially important we drink water throughout the day because as soon as we wake up, we’re already down 6 – 8 hours of no water, and even though drinking water in the morning is a great habit to have; not everyone does it. So to go the night and the school day without water is around 14 hours of dehydration, which is frankly too much and can lead to negative side effects like frequent headaches, dry skin, fatigue, and cracked lips; just to name a few. It can also cause bad breath, so to properly function, carry some water with you and make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day. 

 

Snacks 

A 7 hour day is a long time to go without food, and for those in after-school programs, that time is even longer. And even though school lunch is always a choice, it’s not always the best. Try carrying some snacks with you in your bag that can help keep you full and your mind functioning properly. Snacks doesn’t mean you have to pack a bunch of junk into your bag, though. It can instead be something a bit more nutritious. For example try packing a protein shake, and a fruit like an apple. But if you do have a sporting event like a soccer game, basketball game, and etc., then maybe try bringing something with electrolytes like Gatorade, and maybe something that does have a bit of sugar as it can help enhance performance. 

 

Gum 

Gum is a great alternative to having to snack all day round. It helps reduce hunger and cravings, so that you stay full for longer, and only have to snack at times you feel are necessary. Plus, it helps make sure your breath smells good. 

 

Review Papers

I know this is a common habit almost all teenagers have; stacking papers. They stack papers in their bag all the way from September and only empty them out when June comes around. But they should aim to frequently empty out these papers and only keep the few necessary ones needed for more recent assignments. They don’t realize how much weight can add up from just papers, and it’s just not worth it to carry extra weight from school and back for no reason. 

 

Equipment 

If you have a sports or any other type of extracurricular activity practice or game, make sure to pack the proper equipment so that you’re able to maximize your training session or even better, maximize your performance on game day. 

 

In conclusion, it’s not worth it to carry around a bunch of junk in our bags, so instead try to minimize it to these few essentials.