What’s In My Bag?

Hello to everyone who is reading this. My name is Laila, and I’m excited to be a part of ETEC 540 this semester. This is my first course I’ve taken in the program. For this introduction, I will be sharing the contents of my bag as a way of thinking about how everyday items tell stories about who we are. I usually have a bigger purse than this, but I’m away from home at the moment, so imagine a similar purse on a much larger scale.

I always carry my phone and wallet, as they are considered practical necessities to me. My wallet carries my payment cards, cash, and IDs, all of which may be needed in a pinch. My phone is my primary source of contact with my friends and family, as well as my primary navigation tool, which comes in handy as I consider myself to be very directionally challenged.

Next are what I consider my aesthetic necessities: a compact mirror and lipstick. I always wear lipstick; it makes me feel ready to take on the day. The compact mirror naturally goes hand in hand with that, allowing for easy reapplication throughout the day, and often comes in handy for other people as well.

Next are my comfort items, headphones and a fan. I always wear headphones, not so much for music as for sensory comfort. I tend to be very sensitive to noise, so having headphones on helps deafen the outside a little and reduces my stress throughout the day. I have very thick and long hair, so it’s easy for me to overheat. Having a fan with me helps mitigate that. I’m also an avid Dance Dance Revolution/PumpItUp player, so a fan comes in very handy for those spontaneous visits to the arcade.

Together, the contents of my bags could be read as “texts” that reveal how I navigate daily life and the cultures in which I participate. My wallet and phone reflect my involvement in a highly digital and mobile society, where identification, payment, and communication are expected to be immediate and portable. While the mirror and lipstick may reflect my personal preferences and aesthetic interests, they also represent a culture that emphasizes self-presentation and readiness, giving these items both individual and social significance to me. My headphones and fan help me manage my sensory environment and physical comfort, enabling me to navigate public spaces more easily.

Considering “text technologies”, my phone is the most obvious example, as it functions as a multifunctional device for reading, writing, socializing, navigating and media consumption. Even the mirror can be considered a reflective text, allowing me to check how I am physically perceived by others and make adjustments to the image that I want to project. 

The items in my bag suggest that I am literate in digital navigation, social communication, self-presentation, and managing the physical demands of my hobbies. Compared to the image I project outwardly, the private contents of my bag reveal both what I consider practical in my life and also display my vulnerability through my need for comfort, regulation, and readiness.

If I were to imagine my bag 15 years ago, I would’ve been relatively young at the time, so it would’ve looked very different. There would be no lipstick or mirror, since I wasn’t quite aware of how people perceived me physically. There would have been a sketchbook and pens, since drawing was my primary source of self-regulation and enjoyment at the time. I would not have had a phone, nor would I have carried much self-identification (maybe a school ID) and perhaps a small amount of cash. If it were my school backpack, it would’ve had binders with papers shoved between them and at the bottom of the bag, as well as old granola bars I would never touch.

For a future archaeologist, the contents of my bag could serve as a snapshot of early 21st-century urban life. They might note the importance of my personal grooming tools, the items that reflect sensory management and leisure, as well as the multi-use nature of my phone. These objects serve as evidence of a culture that was becoming increasingly dependent on technology, but also concerned with individuality, comfort and presentation.