It is strange to think about this bag. This is my daily work bag that has been sitting in my office, untouched since I dropped it off on March 13, the last day of work before March Break 2020. Other than taking out my sunglasses, cell phone, and my wallet, everything remained the same. I did feel a bit like an archeologist exploring what my life had been like before I wore slippers to my office.
The location of my office changed, but my job did not. An online teacher can set up her workspace in many different places, even on a picnic table in my back yard. Yet, I remain in the home office in case there is a video call from staff or students.
The bag itself has a padded compartment for my school laptop as I am asked to commute between my office and the high school in Kimberley. The black wallet acts more like a clutch within the purse. That is what I carry when going out in the winter. In the summer, I convert even smaller to the brown pouch that holds a few cards and folded cash.
This bag is minimalist but holds some secrets of my past. Six years ago, I was a teacher in downtown Toronto. I was a full-fledged city gal. You can see by the designer cell phone case, purse, and small brown pouch. What I realize while looking at it is that they are worn out and definitely show their age. My prescription glasses are ancient and out of fashion, but my eyesight hasn’t changed, and I don’t see a reason to change. Now that I live on a farm and commute to work, less is more when traveling, and the labels don’t matter anymore. I used to own a fancy car, now I drive an all-wheel-drive hybrid electric vehicle. The all-wheel-drive is necessary because I live in the mountains
- Why is the money there? Well, I sell eggs to my colleagues for $5, and I always need an abundance of change as most people seem to have $20 increments.
- Hair elastic? I have a terrible habit of touching my hair when I am stressed, so I am continually tying it back.
- Dog poop bags? I have two large dogs, and those bags are stashed everywhere.
- Headphones with a microphone? I need to create privacy when students are working in my classroom, and another student calls on a video conference.
- My husband’s business cards. He’s such a talker when we are out, and I am always there to make sure he has extras to give.
The other supplies, well, people could guess that I was a teacher or a student, and I am both. I have two notebooks because I have two different roles. The novel is for my school’s book club. It looks like we might be returning soon, so I guess I should get back to reading it.
It looks like I have given up my activities, but it is because I don’t need a bag when I am with my animals at home. I used to be a traveler, I have visited over 42 countries, I know how to pack light. Would someone look at the bag and think, boring. Well, I am definitely more than meets the eye.
I am surprised to see how much of my bag relates to language and communication. The computer is not in the photo, but there is a representation of digital literacy with my cell phone and headphones. I use my notebooks daily to create a break from screen time. The novel is part of a book club, but it is voluntary, and I enjoy reading educational text. The money and the keys to my rental units demonstrate interpersonal skills, entrepreneurship, along with financial literacy.
I have been focusing on the farm, work, MET, and rental properties. I have lost a bit of my personal self. The bag and contents look shabby. I am happy with myself, but I am disappointed with the resulting image that is outwardly projected.
Fifteen years ago, I was in my undergrad. Thinking back, I believe my bag would have been just a shabby, boring, and practical. The laptop, the cell phone would have still been there. My iPod Nano is missing from the current bag as our music is now integrated into our phones. I would have had notebooks, writing utensils, a bus pass, and a gym membership. In 15 years from now, I hope I still have my journals, it will be interesting to see the technology change and if we will have more devices or less.
The archeologist would have a hard time determining the temporal period. They would need to view the money and the technology to identify the era. The shape and the size of the cell phone and the wired headphones are a little dated. The paper money would be a giveaway. After the pandemic where we have been encouraged to use tap on our cards, I believe paper money will be used even less frequently. I think people will be more accustomed to carrying hand sanitizer than before. Perhaps we are at the cusp of seeing changes in our daily bags, and it will be Pre-COVID and Post-COVID that separates the time and not the technologies that we carry.
Hi Kristin,
Your farm looks beautiful! I feel relaxed just from looking at the pictures.
In reflecting upon your bag from undergrad, your bag pre-COVID, and your bag during COVID, how do think perceive your personality being reflected or not reflected in the contents due to the changes in time?
Hi Linda, thanks for your comment and good question. It is surprising that during COVID we minimized our bags in general. I personally didn’t feel that I needed to carry around all of that stuff. Now that teachers in BC are returning to work, I find myself leaving more and more out of the bag because it is not necessary to my life. I guess I am getting rid of my “baggage” 🙂
Hey,
This was really interesting. I shared your surprising in realising just how much in my bag was tied to text and communication! Like you, I also have 2+ notebooks for my divided life between student/teacher/professional.
How have you found the transition to teaching from home? Have you taken on any new texts or technologies since teaching from home? Or have you given up any?
Really interesting to see this! Thanks for sharing.
I would say I have given up many text technologies since being at home. Teaching online, I have reduced the number of emails to students and have really integrated Microsoft Teams for video conferencing. To reach out to students, they respond to meet invites much more than emails. This has changed significantly. I am not sure if it is because they have more time, but I have found the students need the face to face conversations from me than ever before. I find that my typing has slowed because of how little of my job has been text. How about you? Have you noticed that you have increased or given up any text technologies?
Hi Kristin! I can completely relate to your opening sentence – leaving your work bag untouched since the day before spring break! What I thought was interesting and something that we share is that although we could move our office anywhere and set up wherever we like, we still need that office space for video conferencing with staff and students. I hadn’t really thought about it until you mentioned that – but I wonder why we feel unconsciously obligated to be in a formal “school-like” setting when on video chat and feel uncomfortable or not professional if we were to be outside on our patios? Even though everyone knows we’re working just as hard, if not harder at home, we still think about what others’ perceptions will be. Do you think other professions feel or act this way too?
Hi Sasha,
I absolutely feel that way. I think there is an expectation that we replicate an office environment in our homes. There is a perception that if we are at home, we are slacking off, and in reality, the teachers who were at home were working harder and had a difficult time shutting off when the workday was typically over. I wanted to be outside working online, but I felt guilty to be enjoying the sunshine if I had a student video call. As an online teacher, I have often considered what my life would be like if I worked from home instead of my office. I found that from March – June 1, my workload increased significantly, but so did my output. I think other professionals would feel the same way. It is vital to have a home office to show that you are serious and on task, even though it is no different if I were signing in from my patio.