Angela Ding '26
Before each new school year, Upper School students go through the familiar process of picking out a backpack and filling it with school supplies. These choices reflect their personalities and daily routines at school. Whether it’s a well-worn bag they’ve used for years or a brand-new purchase, students choose the one that fits their needs for the year ahead.
While freshmen, sophomores and juniors often stick with traditional backpacks, many seniors are switching things up by using “senior backpacks,” following the popular trend for seniors to get bags that resemble ones they carried in elementary school or preschool. These backpacks often feature favorite childhood characters or nostalgic color schemes, such as Disney princesses, SpongeBob SquarePants or Buzz Lightyear.
Senior Lara Asch carries a backpack with Hello Kitty on it, while her classmate, senior Luca Kountoupes, has a Spider-Man backpack. Both characters were childhood favorites for them and appear on their backpacks in bright colors and playful designs.
Senior Caroline Mohamadi also carries a pink Hello Kitty backpack. “Pink was my favorite color as a kid, and I loved Hello Kitty merch,” she said. Mohamadi shared that she had hoped to find the same backpack she used in her first year at Sidwell for her senior year, but she was not able to locate it.
Despite the designs and personalization aspect, the most important role of a backpack is to hold school supplies. Some students prefer organizing everything in one binder, while others use color-coded pens and highlighters to enhance their notes.
“I have a binder for three of my subjects because the other two don’t give me handouts,” sophomore Maya Ahmad said.
She added that this gives her more room in her bag and allows her to fit other belongings without it being too stuffed.
Sophomore Isabel Finn said her backpack is often packed due to the number of books she needs for class. “I share a notebook for some classes to make everything in my backpack fit,” she said.
While some Upper School students use pens, highlighters or markers for note-taking, many stick with pencils. Sophomore Alexa Grossman prefers using pencils because they are easier to erase and adjust when necessary. She added that this leaves more room in her pencil case for other essentials, like her calculator.
Though school supplies are essential, backpacks also serve to hold personal items students use throughout the day or for after-school sports and extracurriculars. These additional items offer insight into students’ personalities and routines.
“I definitely always have a water bottle in my backpack,” junior Hannah Joffe said. While water fountains are available throughout the Upper School building and campus, bringing a personal water bottle allows students easy access throughout the day.
“I always have a water bottle, gum and my phone,” Freshman Abigail Orgad said.
Freshman Sophie Viola added she likes to have Aquaphor in an accessible place in her bag so she can use it throughout the school day.
Similarly, sophomore Zoe DeGarmo also always has Aquaphor in her bag, along with a water bottle and a hair tie. “I play sports after school, and having an extra hair tie and a water bottle is really helpful,” she said.
Many Upper School students noted that they reuse the same backpack each year, often sticking with familiar and reliable brands. DeGarmo said students usually prioritize both function and appearance when choosing their backpacks. While classic brands like JanSport remain common, this year, many students have opted for athletic brands that offer more durable options.
DeGarmo, along with many other Upper School students, uses a backpack from Under Armour. “It fits all of my school supplies and extra things perfectly,” she said, adding that she’s not worried about it being overstuffed or breaking.
The North Face is another popular brand among students, though opinions on its functionality vary. Sophomore Camille Kountupes said her North Face backpack fits everything she needs for school, thanks to its many pockets. However, sophomore Ajuni Sidhu finds her North Face bag “always stuffed” and not big enough to hold everything–including her coat on cold days.
From nostalgic characters to everyday essentials, each student’s backpack reflects who they are, both in and out of the classroom. Senior backpacks bring back memories from childhood, while the items inside showcase what matters to students now — whether it’s hydration, highlighters or hair ties.