What’s in the Backpack? HutchCC Students Share the Items They Need While on Campus

By Kayla Milhon
Staff writer
IG: kaylaa.ml_

A backpack might not look like much from the outside, but inside it tells a story.

Between long class days, late-night assignments, and jobs after school, students carry everything they need to get through the day on their backs. At Hutchinson Community College, what’s inside a backpack can reveal a lot about the life a student is balancing.

For Marshall Kesinger, a freshman majoring in Media and Film Production, his backpack reflects a simple and focused approach to college life. He keeps things organized and minimal, only carrying what he really needs for the day.

The most important thing in Kesinger’s backpack is his laptop, which he also uses the most. As a media and film student, most of his work revolves around technology, so having his laptop with him is essential for staying on top of projects and assignments.

Even with his minimal setup, there are still a few unexpected items in Kesinger’s bag. One of the most random things he carries is an oracle card. When it comes to snacks, Kesinger usually carries Nerds Gummy Clusters, and joked that if he could ever get sponsored by the brand, he would.

Although he keeps things organized, Kesinger said there are still a few items that rarely get used, like a phone cord that mostly stays buried in the bottom of his backpack.

While Kesinger keeps his backpack structured and minimal, Ethan Beck, a sophomore majoring in psychology, describes his backpack in a different way.

“It’s insanely unorganized,” Beck said. “But there’s a method to the madness.”

Just like Kesinger, Beck says his laptop is the most important item he carries and the thing he uses the most for school. But beyond that, his backpack is a mix of whatever he might need during a long day on campus.

Sometimes that even includes a pair of work boots, depending on whether he has to go straight from class to work. Like many college students balancing school and jobs, Beck has to keep everything he might need with him throughout the day.

He says things like textbooks and highlighters are usually somewhere in the bag, even if they don’t always get used. When it comes to snacks, Ethan keeps it simple, saying he carries “anything and everything.”

Even though their backpacks look completely different, both Beck and Kesinger rely on them to carry what gets them through their day. For college students, a backpack isn’t just a bag for school supplies — it’s a small snapshot of their daily life.

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