By Charlene Gonzales, Rosie Lopolito, Kleigh Balugo, Lianelys Cabrera, Jennifer Prewitt, Ash Fuentes, Jana Marquez, and Tracy Fuentes
The contents of one’s bag can reveal a lot about someone: what they’re currently reading, how they keep their hair so neat, and most importantly, what they consider absolutely essential for them to carry at all times. Our contributors let us sneak a peek inside their bags and revealed which item in their bag they absolutely cannot live without.
Charlene Gonzales
“One item in my bag that I cannot live without is my hand sanitizer, because I learned that it’s important to keep my hands clean and take care of my well-being and the well-being of others.”
Rosie Lopolito
“It’s hard to pick just one! I carry a backpack instead of something smaller because I want everything I could possibly need with me at all times. According to an unbiased source (my partner), however, I would be miserable if I didn’t have at least one emotional support book hanging out in my bag.”
Kleigh Balugo
“I need my headphones on me at all times! Thankfully these ones have really good battery life, because there’s nothing worse than having to take the train with dead headphones. I’ve learned my lesson and I now carry mine everywhere I go.”
Lianelys Cabrera
“The one item in my bag I cannot live without is my AirPods! Sometimes, I forget to charge them, and it completely changes my day. It’s like going through life in silence, without a soundtrack.”
Jennifer Prewitt
“I can’t live without a book! I ride public transit a lot and it’s nice to get so lost in a book that you almost miss your stop (something I’ve TOTALLY never done).”
Ash Fuentes
“Being in Vegas with the quick-changing weather that seems to follow its own rhythm and pass at random, any lip care is an absolute essential. We move from high winds, snow, rain, and hot, sunny days all within the same week so I take that as the cause of why my lips get dry so easily. That and maybe I don’t drink enough water. Lately my go-to has been the regular Burt’s Bees lip balm as I found nothing else has actually helped heal my lips this quickly or effectively.”
Jana Marquez
“I need Aquaphor on me 24/7. I always have to carry my essential lip products (Clinique Black Honey lipstick and lip gloss) but none of that matters if I don’t have a tube of Aquaphor to hydrate and prime!”
Tracy Fuentes
“I absolutely cannot live without carrying a claw clip in my bag. Sometimes my hair just irritates me and I decide to clip it all back, or the unpredictable Vegas weather blows my hair all over the place and I need to contain it. I’m constantly throwing them into my bag, so I’ll end up peeking into my bag and seeing three different clips!”
Kindergarten 