Have you heard about “analog bags“?
I smiled when a former student, **Derrick** reached out last week to provide an update on his wellness journey. Even though I’ve been away from higher ed for a few years, some students stick with you and it’s quite amazing. I know there are many dear blogging friends who are current or former educators and they know the feeling, the incredible satisfaction that comes when students want to stay in touch across many years and often many miles, too.
Derrick is a sweetheart. I don’t know that I ever worked with a student more invested in bettering himself, despite the agonizing circumstances he was born into. By the time I met him, he was well on his way to recovery and magnificence, leaving the past where it belonged; acknowledged but no longer driving. He was — and is — in charge.
Whenever Derrick pops up with a “Hey, I learned something new”, I pay attention. Relevance isn’t a bad thing for this old girl and now that some of my former students are from the generation behind my own daughter, I love a hot tip or two about the ways in which “the younger” are making their way in the world. Derrick’s offering was this:
“Hey, Doc Vic…do you know about analog bags?”
“Come again, what’s that? An analog bag?”, I asked.
“Yah. You know. A big ol’ bag – full of self-care stuff to enjoy on the fly, without sitting on our phones and scrolling socials all day. TikToks kill brain cells, I know it.”
From there Derrick described his bag. (And for the good of the order, I’m referring to it as his ‘big ol’ bag‘. He used another word, three letters, to describe it. Begins with an a, ends with an s. You get the idea.
Derrick’s big a** bag is an upcycled Lands’ End tote scavenged from his grandma’s closet and glammed up with a little embroidery of his own (’cause one of his “analog” activities is needlepoint, don’tcha know) and his bag is full of: journals, day planners, pens and pencils (only those he loves), pre-packaged and healthy snacks (almonds and low-sugar fruit snacks) and not one, but two water bottles. One containing his daily dose of Liquid IV in his fave peach flavor and regular water in his trusty Stanley (“cause those are never going out of style, you have one, don’t you?”).
He wasn’t done. In a sizeable pouch, Derrick said he carries hand sanitizer, face wipes and deodorant. “It’s hot, right? I can cool off anywhere with my supplies and my neck fan.”
Last but not least, Derrick carries three books with him at all times. One for fun, one for smut and one “to grow on”. I wondered what the difference was between the “one for fun” and the “one for smut” but I didn’t ask. I figured the “one to grow on” was educational in nature. He’s a Ph.D. student…always in research mode.
Derrick follows my blog and loves my “Writing for Wellness” perspective, which prompted him to reach out about analog bags as wellness tools.
I had no idea my own Mary Poppins bottomless tote would become popular, and I’m not mad about it. If you see me in the wild, ask me for just about anything. My bag is big (maybe even BIG A** big) and I load it with care, thinking about what I might need in any given day or what others might need. Ask around. I always have snacks.
Best of all? I’ll get to see Derrick in a couple of weeks at the Bookmarks Festival at Harper College. So good! And yes. We’ll be comparing our bags!
Tell me friends…are you in the loop about analog bags?
Love and hugs,
Vicki 💝
Bookmarks: A Festival for Readers and Writers – Saturday 8/29 «
Why Gen Z is suddenly carrying ‘analog bags’ everywhere—and what they put inside them – Fast Company
Hi – I’m Victoria, Vicki, Dr. Vicki. I hold a doctorate in Adult Education and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and author of Surviving Sue and Slivers.
Check out this link to learn more about my book Surviving Sue – all about resilience and love. Check out this link to order Slivers…a ghost story with surprising twists. Click here for the interview with my publisher, Rick Kaempfer from Eckhartz Press.
Victoria Ponders 
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