As part of a tradition inviting Seniors to bring childhood backpacks, Andover Seniors are showing up to school with backpacks straight from the toy aisle. Before the promposals and before the diploma circle, nothing feels better than being a little kid again.
Minnie Kim ’27
“I have a pink Minnie Mouse backpack with the words ‘I believe in me’ on it. Senior backpacks are a tradition, and I wanted to find one that was funny, personal, and cute. My name’s Minnie, so Minnie Mouse has been a running joke with me and my friends. I got the backpack from Amazon three days before school started. I was trying to find the backpack I wore in second grade with bunnies on it, but I wasn’t able to find it, so I had to settle for the Minnie Mouse backpack. A Senior backpack can be anything you want, especially something connected to your childhood or elementary school years. This tradition is a wholesome, full-circle moment and a fun way to celebrate the beginning of the school year.”
Nana Damptey ’27:
“I have been bringing a Hello Kitty backpack, but I haven’t been taking it to class because it’s so tiny. I bought it on Amazon, without reading the dimensions first. The bag is neon pink and bright blue, with a big Hello Kitty in the center, blue and pink stripes behind her, and cute icons around her. I was torn between a Dora the Explorer backpack and a Hello Kitty backpack, but Hello Kitty was a huge part of my childhood. I used to watch these Hello Kitty fairy tales that retold stories like Alice in Wonderland or Rumpelstiltskin. As a Senior now, I wanted to return to the time when I was beginning my education and bring that excitement into my Senior year. This tradition is a beautiful way to wrap a bow around my years of schooling. Each step of the way holds moments I won’t experience again.”
Nisreen Dohadwala ’27
“I chose a backpack based on Despicable Me. It’s a Minion-based backpack, and each pocket has a different Minion on it. I have always liked the Despicable Me movies and the Minions because they were some of my favorite things to watch as a kid. This tradition is a great way to get to know other people in the grade because their backpacks offer a glimpse into their childhoods, especially if you met them in high school. As a Senior, it removes some of the embarrassment of wearing something childish. Most people think, ‘That’s embarrassing. I don’t want to wear a backpack with a princess on it,’ but it is freeing to embrace what you used to like or still like. The backpack does not have to be specific, as long as it is personal or connected to something you enjoyed as a kid.”
Ryan Levine ’27
“I have a Wonder Woman backpack, and she was always my favorite superhero character. The woman who played her was Jewish, and I really saw myself in her because I rarely saw Jewish actors in superhero films when I was a kid. I always dressed up as Wonder Woman for Halloween, so the backpack is a throwback to my childhood. I noticed Seniors carrying these backpacks last year, but I didn’t recognize the trend until people in my friend group started asking about kid backpacks. When I saw that, I thought it would be fun to participate. The backpacks are an opportunity to have fun, represent your youth and give a last hurrah to growing up. There are no strict guidelines, but the backpack is usually small, child-sized, recognizable, and connected to something you enjoyed, whether that is One Direction, Marvel, or DC.”
