Every morning, the halls are filled with the sound of and frustration of students struggling to carry overloaded backpacks around school. But do students really need to carry around large bags all day? We should avoid carrying backpacks and explore alternative solutions.
Often, student athletes carry two large backpacks, each containing items that weigh almost half of the person’s total weight. This can pose a danger to students who lack the strength to carry large backpacks throughout the entire day. A student who is expected to carry a backpack filled with five textbooks, a Chromebook, lunch, notebooks, folders and a pencil case can become overwhelmed. Students often dread walking to classes and lugging large bags around wears them out even when the school day has just begun. They may lose interest in attending school, which can cause them to lose focus in the classroom setting and negatively impact their academic performance.
Often, at NDB, teachers complain about the backpacks in their classrooms, as they pose tripping hazards by clogging up space under desks, creating havoc in the hallway and occupying a significant amount of needed space. There have even been instances where a teacher or student has fallen over a backpack and been injured.
There is a straightforward solution to the danger posed by backpacks. The majority of textbooks given to students in school and resources can be found online, eliminating the need to carry around heavy backpacks. Schools could provide every student with a tablet or laptop and offer access to all online websites. An alternative solution could be for students to bring smaller, more practical bags to school. It could contain only a calculator, a computer and a notebook, whereas every other material could be found online.
Finally, as an all-girls catholic school, it is essential to appear professional in a school setting. Since backpacks do not match the school uniforms, they make students appear less formal. As students wear a variety of different designs for backpacks, they may look less put-together. The quality of backpacks is also not ideal, especially due to the fact that they are very expensive. Zippers often break and holes appear within only a few months. The design of some backpacks worn by students may affect NDB’s image and the poor quality of these backpacks can cost students a significant amount of money.
Teenagers should explore and determine stronger solutions to prevent back pain, reduce hallway collisions and appear more professional in school. High school is overwhelming enough and removing the burden of carrying 40 pounds on your shoulders each day can be a huge relief.
