What's in UR backpack? | Admissions Blog

From your required class materials to trusty AirPods to a late-afternoon snack, backpacks are a treasure trove of both utility and personality. If you’re wondering about someone’s mind, what better way to peer into it than to examine the contents of their bag? In that spirit, I embarked on a research quest to show you, prospective applicants, what University of Rochester students are like through the contents of their backpacks. And I got some aesthetic pictures along the way!

First up, meet Alex Holly, a sophomore double-majoring in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Digital Media Studies. Alex is currently a Culture Editor for The Campus Times, a lifeguard, a known enjoyer of good music, and a beloved member of TOOP, OBOC and Drama House on campus. Also, they make great cookies :))

What’s your favorite thing in your backpack? “Currently, the assortment of dining hall fruit. I love feeling like the star of an elementary school math problem. Regularly, my water bottle.”
What do you forget in your backpack or forget to put in it? “Apparently soy sauce and an handful of coins? I often leave little trinkets in my bag that end up getting lost at the bottom. It’s a nice little treasure hunt being able to find them again.”
Has what you put in your bag changed over time? “It’s definitely gotten a lot neater since high school. As much as I try to keep organized, I can’t keep track of papers for the life of me and they always end up getting smushed. Getting an iPad to take notes on has been absolutely life changing; both to reduce clutter and textbook back pain.”
If someone found your backpack, what object in there screams YOU? “My water bottle; I go nowhere and am nothing without it.”
If you had Mary Poppin’s bag or Newt Scamander’s suitcase, what would you use it for? “Easy transportation via my bike and roller-skates (and helmet of course), as well as an extra jacket and umbrella for whatever the weather may be. Occasionally, I’d consider bringing my kettle, table, and snacks for an impromptu tea party…always a necessity.”

Like Alex, I myself have recently become an iPad fiend. In my experience their usefulness differs among majors, but the more handwritten homework assignments you have to submit as PDFs online, and the more papers you need to annotate, tablets may prove to be lifesavers. I don’t know that I would have survived reading and remembering 4-6 scientific articles a week this semester without mine. But I also know folks who swear by paper notes, so whatever floats your boat!

Next, I headed to the bag of Dominique Neveu, a senior double-majoring in Creative Writing and Psychology who aspires to become a writer for film and television. On campus, Dominique hosts a radio show, works as a sport announcer and a resident advisor, and is a member of the three main theatre groups (TOOP, Roc Players, OBOC) and currently in rehearsals for two shows. Fun fact: they are taking a puppetry class this semester.

What’s your favorite thing in your backpack? “My favorite thing is a horrible caricature drawing of my sister that makes her look like Shrek.”
What do you forget in your backpack or forget to put in it? “I often forget about the sticky UR branded R in there.” [Lilli: I am assuming that this means that Dominique put a University sticker inside their backpack long ago. Student backpacks are NOT required to be branded. I promise, we’re adults here.]
Has what you put in your bag changed over time? “I usually have more school stuff but I’m cleansing it before break. I also recently added the first aid kit since I have two. So now I’ll be ready for medical emergencies on the go.”
If someone found your backpack, what object in there screams YOU? “I think either the script or the laptop (with its many characteristic stickers) tells of my ownership, apart from the bag itself.” [Lilli: the cow exterior is pretty iconic.]
If you had Mary Poppin’s bag or Newt Scamander’s suitcase, what would you use it for? “If I had a Mary Poppins bag, I’d bring a kettle and tea/hot chocolate and a mini refrigerator with milk and sugar and honey (in-bag power source included) so I’d never have to go to Starbucks again.”

Finally, I bring you to the backpack of Caroline Cucuzzella, a first-year Film major. Caroline is a member of TOOP and the Undergraduate Film Council, as well as the assistant director of The House of Blue Leaves. Next semester, she will direct The Curious Savage, in addition to her many other projects in the realm of the silver screen.

What’s your favorite thing in your backpack? “My favorite thing in my backpack is my hard drive. It lets me work on my video assignments anywhere.”
What do you forget in your backpack or forget to put in it? “I forgot that I had my dad’s business card in it.” [Lilli: Ready to network for him!]
Has what you put in your bag changed over time? “Not really, it’s remained pretty consistent. Sometimes the book in it changes.”
If someone found your backpack, what object in there screams YOU? “Probably the SD card or hard drive. They show the video editor side of me… which is a pretty big side.”
If you had Mary Poppin’s bag or Newt Scamander’s suitcase, what would you use it for? “OMG! I would LOVE a Mary Poppins bag, but I have a nasty habit of stuffing trash in my bag when I feel too awkward to get up and throw something away, so I feel like it would just end up being a trash can.”

This has been an exploration of backpacks at the University of Rochester. What does YOUR backpack say about you?

Signing off,

Lilli xxx