I am not a person that uses a bag or purse regularly. My truck acts as a bag – I just take what I need when I get out and I’m good to go! I find when I do have a bag, it ends up like a dumping ground for everything and anything.
That said, I do bring a bag to work, but I don’t use it much. And now that I’ve started the MET program (this is course 3 for me), I have needed to bring a bag with me to school (when we were allowed in) and on weekend trips. This is a representation of what I keep in my school/work bag.
- Bag – this is a cheap laptop bag that I bought out of need for a trip to UBC Vancouver for a Home Ec conference last year. I am frugal at the best of times, so I found one that looked like it would fit everything and wasn’t expensive. The zippers are important as my boys (7 and 9) like to “help” with things, but that usually just means that they pick things up upside down …
- Laptop – I bought a new laptop and opted for one with a larger screen so that it would be easier to read what I’m working on online. Apparently the larger screen is ideal for gaming, of which I do none!
- Wallet – I opt for a bigger wallet because I don’t carry a bag. My wallet has everything I need in it, including my hunting license and tags! Pink is my favourite colour, so I couldn’t resist this salmon coloured wallet from ThirtyOne Bags.
- Coffee – I rarely start a morning without a cup or two, so I usually have one I bring with me when I leave the house. I more often use a mug even in my truck, but I’ve had a few spills so a to-go cup is the way to go.
- Sunglasses – I don’t go anywhere without them as they are prescription and I can’t see without glasses! They are 15 years old, so I will probably have to get some new ones soon.
- Notebook – I always make sure I have a notebook handy as I make a lot of lists and need to have them written down! I’ve tried to use my phone but I prefer handwritten. Right now it also holds my class lists so I can keep track of attendance and assignments for my classes while we are learning at home.
- School keys – If I don’t keep them in the bag (or truck), I am always forgetting them.
- Green bag – I am lucky enough to have braces at 38 years old! So I always have this with me so I can brush, floss or adjust the elastics. I also have some personal care items in there that I may need (especially Advil!).
- Cook’s Illustrated – As a Foods teacher I always tend to have a magazine close by with recipes and tips/tricks for the kitchen. A great way to pass the time!
- Cell – what can I say. I couldn’t live without it. I’ve stuck with the iPhone since getting rid of my Blackberry in 2008. I use the dongle to attach my phone to various devices.
- Daytimer – I wear many hats these days (teacher, student, minor hockey president) and have two active kids, so a daytimer is a must! Just like my lists, I try and use my phone, but I find I need to write things down. The sticky notes and highlighter help me stay organized.
Text Technologies
Some of these items are purely functional – like the laptop bag and the coffee mug. But all of the others either contain text technology or are instrumental in developing it.
Some of the items are a daily need, not just for work but to get through the day. If I didn’t have my glasses I couldn’t read any text! And my cell phone is a necessity to ensure that my boys are able to contact me (they are old enough to text with Messenger Kids so it’s always neat to see what they write! (And they are already proficient in emoji speak!).
The text that appears in my wallet is pivotal to who I am. My driver’s license shows my current home in the Okanagan, while my Teacher Qualification Service card shows signs of my young life with my maiden name (that still appears for my courses as I haven’t changed it!). My firearms and hunting licenses show my connection to the outdoors. Because of the text written on these cards I am able to ethically harvest the most organic of meats to feed my family.
My work is surrounded by text, with recipes and oral histories surrounding the preparation of food. The Cook’s Illustrated cookbook highlights the technical side of my job – exquisitely written descriptions of how to complete both the most simple and obscure tasks in the kitchen. Images help to provide a clear picture to the reader about the method to strive to achieve. I often have to rewrite or re-phrase these descriptions as my students often don’t understand. My marks are a text of numbers, accented with technology to ensure that each student knows the specific number that they have achieved (but does that really mean anything?).
My bag makes me look a bit more organized and “academic” than my outward image. While I am always hard working yet laid back, my work persona that is captured more in this bag is more structured and polished than the side my friends and family get to see. I teach at a fairly affluent school where not many students hunt, fish or camp, so I work hard to explain to my students through pictures and stories, why I choose to live the life I do.
My bag would have looked similar 15 years ago, as I had just started my first teaching job and was living alone in Lillooet. I would not yet have met my husband, who introduced me to hunting, meaning my mindset would have been different. The biggest difference would be the cell and laptop technology – I explained to my students not long ago that they don’t know the feeling of accomplishment when texting a long message, having to press the numbers three times to get the third letter!
In the future, looking back at this bag people may question the need for both digital and written text. I feel we are on the cusp of losing most handwritten text, shifting everything digitally and online. Schools regularly require students to type projects and use fillable PDFs. Most students writing is poor – they are not able to handwrite and don’t have a signature! But will we need a handwritten signature in the future? Only time will tell.