Words and photos by Jahrell Teodoro
A student’s bag is either seen as merely an accessory used to accentuate their outfit or something used to carry their essentials. Often ignored, many can fail to realize how unique these bags can be, catering specifically to each person’s needs and interests. These purses, tote-bags, backpacks and more can offer so much insight into a student’s personality.
From personal belongings, such as headphones, portraits or even silly little trinkets, to common school supplies needed to survive a long day of classes and seminars—each item inside someone’s bag can reveal so much about what their daily life looks like. These Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students showed us what’s inside their bags, revealing not only the belongings inside but their identities and personalities.
Kayla Harmony
Kayla Harmony, a second-year business management student from Ajax, Ont., focuses on comfort and practicality when packing her leather purse for her commute to school. She carries items which symbolize her personality and support her through daily struggles alongside a typical laptop and schedule planner she uses throughout the day for her classes.
The one item in her bag she can’t live without is her portable charger, “I actually would have died without it,” she says. “I would probably want to die because I would not be able to listen to music,” she says. Her headphones and phone usually don’t make it through the day without her small square portable charger, considering how often she uses them.
Harmony says that as a business student attending classes and meetings all day—sometimes at the same time—it’s important to maintain communication with her professors and her workmates.
She laughs and giggles after revealing oil-blotting pads to be the most peculiar item she has in her bag. She uses these pads daily because of how oily her skin gets. Harmony explains that every time she removes herself from a conversation with a stranger to begin blotting her face, the person always asks, “What are you doing?” She laughs, “I have oily skin.”
For her, the most meaningful item in her backpack is an iridescent, triangular, Katy Perry notebook. “I got it when I was about eight years old, but for some reason, I never wrote in it,” she says. This notebook holds personal value for her because she now uses it as a diary, writing poetry or recording how she felt during particular moments in her life. “Every day this year, I decided to write in it about my everyday activities and emotions.” Something that originated with no use to her childhood self has now become a private sanctuary in her life.
Laura Jurkovic
Second-year fashion student Laura Jurkovic can often be seen sporting her cute red purse. This leather bag has withstood long trips to campus and hours of screen time while holding copious items to help her get through the day. As opposed to students who live on or near TMU’s campus, she commutes every day from Burlington Ont., which means thorough planning and a bag packed with the day’s essentials is necessary.
Which item is a ‘must’ for her? “My headphones,” Jurkovic begins. “I sincerely believe that music helps me relax or concentrate when I head back to school.” She believes that long commutes are the perfect way to reset. Whether she’s listening to her favourite playlists or using music as white noise as she organizes schedules and ignores the chaos of commuting. “I need music to concentrate and relax,” says Jurkovic.
Beyond the academic necessities she needs to thrive, she also has a few unusual goodies. The strangest? One tiny pink Shopkin toy with a green bowl and a bow on its head. She smiles and laughs, saying, “I like looking at her—she’s cute.” Even though it’s small, the toy acts as a meaningful look into her inner child.
The object contrasts with the rest of the items in her bag, which she uses for classes and describes as sophisticated. It reminds her of something that she cherishes most—her childhood. The smallest reminder can lighten up her mood when facing stressful situations.
The most valuable item in her bag, however, is an illustration of herself. “It was made by the most talented Matthew Gebru, I always carry that drawing with me. He’s my best friend,” says Jurkovic.
Whenever she waits for her next train or works long hours in the fashion labs in Kerr Hall, this small piece of art holds her close to him when they are apart. Just like her Shopkin, she loves looking at this drawing and remembering that her friend is always there to support her when she needs it.
Laura’s purse is a sweet portrayal of work and personal sentiments that help her get through the daily grind. As she commutes in a constant loop, these essentials help her stay focused and grounded.
Matthew Gebru
At TMU, fashion students have gained a reputation for bringing unexpected yet extremely significant items to campus, and second-year Matthew Gebru from Scarborough, Ont. is no exception. His black Telfar tote bag, stocked with daily necessities as well as a few unique items, mirrors who he is and how he goes about his day.
For Gebru, coffee is his best friend—dark coffee, to be exact. “I’ll go crazy if I don’t have coffee,” Gebru smirks.
Whether he is working on a draping project alongside jewellery-making late at night or mustering the willpower to go to class in the morning, having coffee on hand guarantees he is prepared to face the day.
A keychain with a pepper shaker and the words “I Heart New York” is Gebru’s “strangest” possession. “I took it from a restaurant in Blue Mountain and haven’t taken it out of my backpack yet,” he says.
While Gebru thinks it’s an “extremely dumb trinket,” he also says it’s a very funny conversation starter. “It’s ridiculous every time someone says, ‘Wait, you’re so cool and niche,’ after looking in my purse.” It reminds him how even the quirkiest or most random items can spark curiosity from those around him.
When it comes to sentimental value, his Sharpie pen takes the top spot. “I like to draw things,” he says. Whether it’s for fashion sketches or doodles of his best friends, his Sharpie is always ready in hand. Gebru loves to draw and claims that he uses it a lot to express his emotions. The many different sketches in his sketchbook prove that drawings can speak a thousand words.
Ethan Garo
Ethan Garo’s purse matches his charismatic personality and is yet another bag filled with stories. As a second-year fashion student, he has a strong sense of style that perfectly complements the items he carries in his bag. His possessions are more than only what he needs daily—they demonstrate his individuality and creativity.
Garo can’t leave home without the one item he really needs. “You never know,” he continues with a half-laugh, half-joke, “Because I would die, my EpiPen.”
Garo’s severe allergy to shellfish, nuts and “basically everything” means he always has his EpiPen on hand. But he pairs this life-saving tool with something even more charming—his Fenty lip gloss. He says with a smile, “My lips need to stay glossy.”
When asked what the strangest item in his bag is, he replies, “Oh, a black Gildan T-shirt. I was creating a do-it-yourself [DIY] rave outfit.” The plans he had for the garment reveal how powerful his creativity is. Garo’s ideas are one of the qualities that make him stand out in a crowd, in addition to his impulsive nature of creating last-minute outfits for the many events he attends. On this day, he’s also carrying macaroons in his bag. He smiles and adds, “Because of Valentine’s Day,” sharing his enjoyment of the smallest pleasures in life, including sweet treats.
Garo’s bag perfectly captures his personality: fashionable, well-prepared and always up for a DIY moment. He’ll look nice while handling any situation, be it an allergy emergency, a last-minute craft project or a snack to treat himself for all the hard work he accomplishes.
Ella Oliveros
Inside Balzac’s Coffee Roasters Cafe on Gould Street sits Ella Oliveros from Vancouver, wearing a classy outfit and a stylish bag with many questions behind every item. The fact that beauty products take up most of the space in her bag should not be surprising as Oliveros is a second-year fashion student.
She acknowledges how many cosmetics she carries. “Which is funny because it’s supposed to be my school bag,” she laughs.
She applies Vaseline from her bag to her lips, explaining the importance behind this petroleum jelly. “I’ll be carrying it in my purple and white container wherever I go,” says Oliveros. Her purse holds some shocking items in addition to cosmetics, including her hair rollers and a photo of the therapy dogs that students can meet every Friday at TMU.
Working as a freelance model while studying fashion means she is balancing many projects every day. Olivereos loves dogs and occasionally goes to see them to decompress from work and extracurricular activities. “I love dogs so much, I visit TMU’s therapy dogs on Fridays, and I gather all of their cards,” Ella chuckles.
Celina Tang
Celina Tang, a second-year RTA media production student who lives downtown, can often be found studying inside the university’s Student Campus Centre (SCC). Her green purse is eye-catching and her keychains—one shaped like a key and one like a sniper rifle—hooked on the strap are eye-catching.
Looking through her purse, one can tell that Tang has a busy life. Her bag is filled with a range of necessities and cute trinkets that hold sentimental value to her, each with a background that reveals more about her character.
What is one thing Tang can’t live without? “My wallet, as I couldn’t function without it,” she reveals. Tang is always on the go, living right near Pape Station and studying in the heart of Toronto. Whether it’s to catch the subway or run quick errands at a local Walmart, her vintage floral-patterned wallet, given second-hand from her family, is a crucial item that helps her stay ready for the impulsive and chaotic lifestyle of the city while expressing her style.
However, similar to others, Tang’s bag holds some exclusive items that stick out compared to the rest of the essentials. One being her collection of sewing pins. She uses them for her clothing projects and simple fixes to her pieces.
“After running out of sewing needles, I thought, ‘Oh, let me get some.’ I grabbed some from Walmart,” Tang mentions. It is quite a random and surprising addition to a media production student’s inventory but a useful cure for last-minute problems Tang says.
She notes how her key charms are one of the most sentimental items she has attached to her bag. “I treasure my key charms because I thought they had a cute backstory when my line cook at my previous job noticed that I was wearing a key necklace and gave them to me.” She notes that while they are small, the gift acts as a reminder to be kind and interact with others outside of university life, showing how people can have such a big impact on one another.
Tang’s bag reflects the type of person she is, one who cherishes the small things in life. She explains that while university moves fast, collecting these small mementos throughout your time in school is a healthy way to resonate with nostalgia.
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