As you enter the crowded halls of Cherokee Trail High School, you are overwhelmed by the sight of over 3,000 students and their backpacks, from student practice bags to the classic black JanSport. However, for seniors, a unique tradition separates them from the rest.
The trend of seniors wearing children’s backpacks has been going on for a few years and has established itself as a tradition for seniors here at Cherokee Trail High School. While the trend may seem silly to some, it has been embraced not only by seniors but also by the underclassmen as well. Freshman, Joy Ermias, gave her thoughts on the senior tradition, “I think they’re cute, […] it’s their last year being a kid and they get [to] fully embrace it, it’s adorable.” said Ermias. Many of the underclassmen have added that it is also a good way to differentiate their peers in the hallway while seeing this tradition establish itself among various students. Freshman, Paula Esmeral, gave her thoughts, “It’s cool to see all the seniors participating, it’s also a good way to know if someone in the hall is a senior.”
As the trend gained popularity, it developed a special meaning for seniors, which many have noticed. Esmeral added, “I think this trend is sort of a way for the seniors to look back on their childhood as they finish high school and…enter into adulthood.”. Senior, Jason Lomosi, touched on this meaning, “Think about it, you’re a senior now, but when you were a little kid, you used to have…a little kid backpack…I think it’s a pretty good thing for like our culture at CT,” said Lomosi. While the general meaning of these backpacks is to look back on childhood nostalgia, the beautiful thing about these childish backpacks is that they give people an insight into these seniors’ high school experiences, aspirations, overall character, and more.
For senior and Black Student Alliance (BSA) President, Aalyah Diawara, this valued senior tradition allows seniors to let loose after their efforts made through high school. While Diawara also thinks senior backpacks are a fun way to “bring out your inner child”, her backpack, in particular, gives her peers an insight into her role as president of BSA, Diawara said, “My backpack is Princess Tiana and she’s my favorite princess mostly because she is the only black Disney princess, and as the President of BSA I like to represent black people in media.”. These backpacks have adopted many meanings by seniors involved in various clubs and activities to showcase topics important to them and how they can represent their character through a child’s backpack.
