The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: Forum

When walking around campus from class to class, it's necessary to have something to put your books in. We call these "backpacks."

Backpacks range in size, shape, color, purpose, practicality and even maturity level. Yes, maturity level.

I have noticed an interesting trend recently involving said backpacks on campus. It looks a little like it might be straight out of one of those old "What's Wrong With This Picture?" photos, and it seems to be a trend that is mostly followed by females.

For example, you see a girl walking down Campus Way, too dressy to be heading to class, so you presume she's on her way to an important meeting or interview. She's lookin' fly. She's got her long red pea coat on, knee-high black boots and she's even sporting her finest pair of True Religion jeans. Her makeup is flawless. Her hair is carefully wavy, tousled yet perfect.

Wherever she's going, this young woman is dressed for success. I would want to hire a girl that looks like that on her way to an interview.

… And then you catch sight of her backpack.

It looks like she's been wearing it since the mid-'90s. Besides being dirt-stained and bright pink, it's two sizes too big for her back and fraying at the bottom.

Just by looking at it, you can instantly see the this has traveled with her since she was maybe 8 years old, that it's seen some funky old lunches and probably more than a few pairs of dirty gym shorts.

I'm not here to judge you about keeping your fourth grade backpack around. It can be a pleasant, nostalgic feeling to get a whiff of that old school bus stench that never quite dissipated. There is definitely a Barometer staffer or two who have proudly sported Jansports with holes and buttons on them to class, and we salute them.

But please, if you want to be taken seriously, do not tote this fossil of your childhood to an interview or a place where you're being judged on the maturity of your appearance.

Here are some guidelines to follow when deciding whether or not to ditch your old backpack

If your backpack has a keychain or something "dangly" on it, you might look like a fourth grader.

If your backpack is fuchsia and made out of corduroy, you might look like a fourth grader.

I'm not hatin' on backpacks and encouraging everyone to go out and buy a purse or a messenger bag. But remember, backpacks have a time and a place, and if you want to be treated like an adult, maybe it's time to retire some evidence to the contrary.



Candice Ruud is a junior in liberal studies with an option in new media communications. The opinions expressed in her columns do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily Barometer staff. Ruud can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.

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