Backpack treasures

Students share what they carry around with them everyday that means something to them or reminds them of loved ones

Charinalu Jornacion-Busania holds items from her backpack she says she uses all the time. Right top to bottom: Alicia Liri displays her cell phone; Alex Mortensen shows a toy truck she bought at the grocery store; Elena Hyde holds a keychain from her mission; and Aiden Waller, holds a ring he got as a gift from a friend. Photos by Emarie Majors and Uurtsaikh Nyamdeleg.

BY LEEANN LAMBERT AND STUDENTS IN THE FALL 2021 MEDIA WRITING CLASS

Emptying out the contents of her entire backpack, Lesieli Ohuafi, a senior from Tonga majoring hopitality and tourism management, shared what she carries around campus every day. In it she had ear phones, lip gloss, a T-shirt for the Tongan Club, cash, notebooks, snacks and chips, a handkerchief, and her iPad. Ohuafi said her notebooks are the most essential to her because she is always taking notes. Her iPad, she added, is easy to access and useful while she studies.

The things people choose to keep are a form of self-expression, says a psychologist Christian Jarrett. “More than mere tools, luxuries or junk, our possessions become extensions of the self. We use them to signal to ourselves, and others, who we want to be and where we want to belong. And long after we’re gone, they become our legacy. Some might even say our essence lives on in what once we made or owned,” he says in an article on the website thepsychologist.bps.org.uk.

To find out what people had in their backpacks or bags that brought them joy, have significance to them, or they feel are unique, BYU–Hawaii students in the Comm 211 Media Writing class interviewed more than 20 members of the BYUH ohana on the second day of Fall Semester classes. They talked to people in the Aloha Center Mall during lunchtime.

Electronics

Some of the items that emerged from student’s backpacks were things people might expect such as electronics like cellphones and laptop computers that students said contained information they cared about or needed and allowed them to stay connected with others.

For Jason Vaka, the most important and unique thing in his backpack is his cellphone. “Everything good is stored inside,” he said such as pictures of his family, class notes and schedules that he finds invaluable. Vaka is a junior from Fiji studying biomedical science.

Agreeing with Vaka that his cellphone is the most personal and unique item he carries with him is Jackson Reeves, a freshman from Florida majoring in business. He said his iPhone is his way to “stay connected to the rest of the world,” and he is grateful for modern technology that makes it so easy to do.

For Kunjoo Cho, a senior marketing and supply chain major from Korea, he said he didn’t think anything in his bag was unique but then remembered his electronics.

“Maybe my laptop and iPad are unique,” he shared. “They are pretty old.” Cho said he got his iPad in 2013 and his laptop in 2014. Holding the two items tightly, he shared he has been taking excellent care of his devices, which is why he hasn't replaced them yet. He added even though Apple is launching a new product in a week, Cho said he isn’t planning to upgrade them.

Brian Vildam, a senior from the Solomon Islands majoring in political science, took a brand new laptop out of his bag. “This laptop is like my ‘book.’ I carry it to class, take notes, use it for homework. It's everything!”

Ami Tsujimoto, a freshman from Japan with an undeclared major, took out a small, electronic dictionary from her bag. She said she has had it for a long time—since high school. It helped give her hope that one day she would be able to achieve her dream to study abroad. “I can’t imagine learning English without it,” Tsujimoto said. “This tool has become an important part of my life.”

Mission mementos

A few items students took out of their backpacks were mementos that reminded them of their missions, like a key chain from where they served or a CTR ring.

Elena Hyde, a freshman from Hauula majoring in exercise sports science, pulled out a circle key chain she received while serving as a missionary in the California Ventura Mission. It had the name and a symbol of her mission on it.

Hyde said she was sent home from the Missionary Training Center due to COVID-19 but then after some time at home, she was able to go back out to serve in her mission. She added the key chain “reminds me of my mission and the importance of what I did there and what it taught me.”

Left, Lesieli Ohuafi was interviewed by, right, Byambasuren Chimedbaatar about what was in her backpack on the second day of Fall Semester 2021. Photos by Emarie Majors and Uurtsaikh Nyamdeleg.

Left to right: Sister Luana Romney holds her extra name tag, Poehere Richmond a hair flower and Kaleinani Fitzgerald's sunglasses remind her of home.

On the ring is another key chain in the form of a beaded lizard that she said she made while serving in California.

Paul Taukeiu, junior from Fiji majoring in exercise sport science, took out of his bag a CTR [Choose the Right] ring he on his mission that has taken on an even greater meaning to him. “It was given to me by my mission president’s wife. When I went home, my brother wanted it from me.” But the his brother passed away, and now it is his again.

Taking an extra missionary badge out of her bag, Sister Luana Romney held up her name tag and said, “Sometimes I forget to put my badge on so I have an extra one in my purse.” Sister Romney has been serving on campus since May. She is from Springville, Utah and serves in the Office of Honor. She said she loves her mission, serving the Lord, the school and all the students here.

Books

Two items people shared were books. Adjunct instructor Elaine McArthur, who has taught Spanish on campus since 1995, said in her bag was President Russell M. Nelson’s book, “Daily Joy,” she said she was sending in a care package to her daughter and son-in-law. She said she thought they would appreciate the book, which contains words of wisdom for every day.

“We just need to lift our daily sights,” McArthur said. “They [her daughter and sonin-law] are young parents, and we all need the prophet’s words.”

Brooke Christenson, a junior from Salt Lake City, Utah, majoring in biology, said she had a guitar music book. It is an anthology of North Shore recording artist Jack Johnson. She said for her the guitar is one of her latest passions.

“Playing guitar is one of my passions in life. ... Jack Johnson - I eat, sleep, breath him.”

Culture

Among the items students shared were things they said connect them with their cultures.

Poehere Richmond, a sophomore from Tahiti majoring in hospitality and tourism management, had a hair flower in her bag. “It is a part of my identity,” she said. “Some people will wear a shirt to represent, but the flower is my way of representing Tahiti.”

Josephine Hasu, a freshman from Papua New Guinea majoring in communications, shared in her bag what is most valuable to her is a pouch given to her by her grandma. The print is of a “tahu,” or a shell necklace, which she said was used in her tribe when a woman marries. Hasu said her tribe believes instead of the men offering a dowry, women pay the husband.

Gifts

Pulling out a spare face mask from her bag was Frances Sharma, a sophomore from Fiji majoring in political science. She said she walked into a class the day before without a mask on, and a fellow classmate gave one to her. That’s why she has an extra one in her bag.

Aiden Waller, a freshman from Southern California majoring in business, said an item he had that was special to him was a ring his friend gave him. It was made out of a spoon, and he said he wears it every day. It helps him to remember his friends from home since he’s just moved to Hawaii, Waller said.

Miscellaneous: From toy trucks to cologne to chocolate chip cookies

Famous for helping people clean out and organize their homes, Japan’s Marie Kondo says people should only keep items that spark their joy. She says the “key is pick up each object one at a time, and ask yourself quietly, ‘Does this spark joy?’ Pay attention to how your body responds. Joy is personal, so everyone will experience it differently.” Kondo describes it as “a little thrill, as if the cells in your body are slowly rising.”

Students shared a variety of items they said add to their lives. Alex Mortensen, a sophomore from Logan, Utah, majoring in hospitality and tourism management, has a baby toy truck in her bag. She said she got it at Foodland, and she loves it. When Mortensen gets bored in class, she said she likes to play with it on her desk, and it is a fun way to pass the time.

The most unusual thing Keoni Fatanum, a sophomore biology major from California, said he carries in his bag is his cologne. It is a small vial and he said his cologne has “a fresh, masculine, lavender scent.” He said he keeps it on hand “in case I need to freshen up during the day.” He said he typically spritzes himself once a day after lunch.

Kaleinani Fitzgerald, a freshman from Laie majoring in TESOL, said, of her item, “These sunglasses remind me of my brother and all the great memories we had before he left for his mission. It’s like our bond.”

Holding up her driver’s license, Emma Griffin, a freshman from Utah majoring in graphic design, said, “It is important to me because I like to drive. It is the most valuable thing I have in my bag now.”

Yulin Wang, a sophomore business management major from China, said she was carrying a bag of chocolate chip cookies in her backpack as she walked to her next class. She said because of her busy schedule, it is nearly impossible for her to eat lunch. She added while it is unusual for someone to eat cookies for lunch, they fill her up just fine.

“I live off-campus and I don’t have a meal plan,” Wang said. “I don’t really care what I have as long as I have something to eat.” •