From staples to surprises, what’s really inside Seton Hall Students’ bags?

Remember the “what’s in my bag?” trend that took over social media in the early 2010s? From beauty gurus to lifestyle vloggers to celebrities, everyone was revealing the items they carried around every day. 

Now, the trend is making a comeback on Seton Hall’s campus. To get a closer look at what 

students carry with them from class to class, they shared both the must-haves and the surprising items hiding inside. 

For junior social work major Asiya Amin, a backpack is essential for navigating campus. Inside, she always carries her iPad, lip gloss and headphones. 

“My iPad is probably the most practical thing in my bag,” Amin said, as it helps her to stay organized with notes and assignments. 

On the contrary, she said the most unexpected item she found in her bag was “glitter and a loose press-on nail.”

Ella Salazar, a freshman psychology major, prefers a tote bag to a traditional backpack. In it, she has lip gloss, her computer, granola bars, pens and her “Seton Hall” Owala water bottle. 

For Salazar, her laptop is her most practical item, but her bag also contains some unexpected and slightly embarrassing surprises. 

“I still have a candy cane that has been in my bag since before winter break, and a blue octopus fidget,” she said. 

She also keeps an extra pair of earrings in her bag.

“You can never be too prepared,” Salazar said.

Jackson Vincent, a sophomore psychology and law major, sticks with a backpack like Amin to carry his computer, charger and a pencil. While a pencil might seem simple, Vincent said  it is the most practical item he carries. 

Other items have lost their importance and sunk to the bottom of Vincent’s bag, like the allergy medication his mom gave him, which has lurked in his backpack since freshman year.

Vaughn Brennan-Ospina, a freshman neuroscience major, also relies on a backpack to carry his computer, iPad, pencil and calculator. He uses his iPad the most, helping him manage both classwork and studying. 

Brennan-Ospina combines trash and treasure by always keeping empty water bottles in his bag.  

“It’s probably something I don’t actually need, but it’s always there,” Brennan-Ospina said.

Haylee Peguero, a junior biology major, keeps her essentials close in her backpack. Items in her bag include Sol De Janeiro perfume, lip gloss, her ID and her dorm key.

While constantly using her wallet throughout the day, Peguero’s bag held items that might shock her peers. Among the more surprising items she found were a first aid kit, a DOVE toy tag and motion sickness pills. 

“I guess I just like to be prepared,” she said. 

Peguero’s bag also naturally held the damage of a busy day on campus: crumpled-up schoolwork and old Starbucks food she forgot about. 

Across all six students, a few trends emerged. 

Technology like laptops and iPads dominated as the most practical and necessary items, while lip gloss, chargers and water bottles were common staples. At the same time, students’ bags revealed the realities of college life—clutter, forgotten snacks, random supplies and items kept “just in case.” 

Whether it’s an old candy cane, a loose press-on nail or an empty water bottle that refuses to leave, what’s inside students’ bags shows both their personalities and their busy lifestyles. As classes, activities and social lives collide, it’s no wonder their bags hold a mix of organization and chaos. 

So next time you throw your backpack over your shoulder or grab your tote before class, take a moment to think: “What’s really in my bag?”

Kassandrah Blake is a writer for The Setonian’s Features section. She can be reached at kassandrah.blake@student.shu.edu.