Most seniors would agree that they want to finish their last year of high school in a fun way; whether that be changing up their style, making new memories with friends, or wearing fun backpacks to commemorate their final year. A fun example of this is when students wear backpacks with characters on them, such as a Spiderman backpack worn by Mia Perez (12), and a Dora backpack worn by Kaylee Carbello (12).
Bringing funny backpacks to school has always been somewhat of a “tradition” for seniors at Aliso Niguel High School, and this year’s seniors are keeping the trend going. It’s a great way of expressing individuality and breaking the seriousness as seniors approach adulthood. It also eases the accumulating stress that comes along with a new school year that many students go through as they start rigorous classes and take on more adult-like responsibilities.
“I wanted to get a funny backpack to do one last fun ‘little kid’ thing before I finish high school,” Perez says. She adds, “I just wanted to have a fun senior year with my friends!”
Another reason why many seniors decide to switch out a stereotypical, monochromatic backpack for a more colorful and amusing one is because it brings out nostalgia.
Having your favorite childhood character from a TV show could be a very fun way to have a carefree senior year. For people like Carbello, having a character on a backpack like this is a sweet way to reminisce and have a full-circle moment.
“I started pre-school with a Dora backpack, so I got to end it with a Dora backpack,” Carbello says.
Having matching backpacks with friends and making memories with them for your last year of high school could also make senior year much more memorable and fun to look back on. It creates bonds between friends and makes school life less serious.
Also, having a plain simple backpack that blends in with others can get boring at times.
“Almost my entire friend group has fun backpacks! We even have a trio with baby shark themed backpacks,” Perez says.
However, one thing that could make some students hesitate in getting one of these fun backpacks for senior year could be efficiency. Students must carry many necessary items to school every day, like a Chromebook or an iPad, notebooks, and writing utensils, and “little kid” backpacks might not be the best for that.
However, in terms of practicality, both Perez and Carbello said that they can fit almost everything they need in their seemingly small backpacks.
Perez responds, “I would say it’s surprisingly practical for me.” She continues, “My backpack fits almost everything I need on a daily basis, along with both my iPad and Chromebook.”
Carbello states, “To be honest my backpack actually fits everything! It’s perfect.”
Both Perez and Carbello encouraged other seniors to join in on the fun, and Perez even mentioned, “After the first week of school, it became fairly common, and more people got on board with the kid backpacks.”
