Thanks to the almost punitive size of my small locker, I was forced to carry all my essentials with me in my backpack. I have band-aids, scissors, tissues, multiple pencils, pens, highlighters, a planner, my phone (yes, turned off, duh!), my panda flash drive, “personal” items, a copy of the US Constitution (huh?) from the 8th grade trip to the Constitution Center, at least five subject notebooks, gum, a calculator, keys, batteries, Tylenol, extra contacts, East tattoos from the Girls’ Volleyball Team (thank you!), the soccer schedule and the basketball roster, to name a few items. Oh yes, also, my lunch and two juice pouches…because one is not enough. I was always prepared and could help anyone in need, including adhering a temporary tattoo here and there.

So what does my back pack have to do with my years at Cherry Hill East, you may ask. My backpack has been full just as my time at East has been. I have things in there that help others, things that help me, objects that are memorable, and things that are just for fun. This has been my experience at East….from early morning breakfast pow-wows, to 2am year book deadlines; killer soccer runs to being on the sidelines of basketball; Habitat Spring Break trips to Chansons closet cleaning; from “failing with dignity and grace” (thanks Mr. Regan) to standing over dead bodies (thanks Dr. Achilly!) in cadaver labs.

Like my backpack with items large and small, my memories and experiences at East have been vast and diverse. They have all contributed to making me who I am. I will miss my backpack.