LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — A student walks through the gates of Los Alamitos High School. They’re suddenly surrounded by a sea of backpacks. Black, navy blue and gray stream past. Suddenly, a blur of bright red catches their eye. Is that… Lightning McQueen? It is! But what is a child’s backpack doing on a high school campus?

Children’s backpacks are a phenomenon found on many high school campuses, including LAHS. Multiple high schools in states like Arizona, Florida and South Carolina are also home to this trend. A good deal of high school seniors have been buying backpacks of all themes: Lightning McQueen, Hello Kitty, Disney princesses and many other favorite childhood characters.

How this trend began 

 Recently, there has been an increase in the number of students, specifically seniors, wearing these themed backpacks.

“I thought it’d be fun because it’s our last year,” said Alana Eisel, a senior wearing a bright pink backpack with a Hello Kitty design.

While this trend is not new to LAHS, the number of students who participate are on the rise. 

“I’ve seen kids with (character) backpacks before. I wouldn’t have called it a trend,” Mrs. Hinz, who teaches AP Government, said.

Upperclassmen from previous years also influenced this campus development.

“I saw a kid last year with a Fortnite backpack. I was like, might as well do it for my senior year!” said senior Ben Vandermost, who wears a Hello Kitty backpack.

How seniors choose a backpack

When picking out backpacks, seniors also have to consider functionality over design.

Students found that kid-sized backpacks typically hold the notebooks and folders necessary for each class, wallets, keys and sometimes water bottles.

“Yeah. I was very surprised,” Ben said when asked if his backpack fit everything for school.

Although there are a multitude of reasons for seniors wearing these backpacks, one of the most obvious is the nostalgia they bring to students for their final year of high school. 

“Nostalgia for being a little kid. Adulting and high school is hard,” Mrs. Hinz said when asked for her thoughts on why students wear these backpacks.

These upperclassmen may also be simply fans of the shows and movies displayed on their backpacks.

“My family has been a huge Marvel and superhero fan, so I was deciding between this one and a Disney princess one,” said a senior wearing a Spider-Man-themed backpack.

Whatever the reason, these backpacks sure stand out.

“I feel like it makes me smile and makes other people smile when they see it. The one I saw today was a Hello Kitty one, and I love Hello Kitty, so that was my favorite one,” said Ms. Flores, an intern in the WellSpace.

Additionally, there is an unspoken community among seniors who wear themed backpacks.

“You can tell who’s seniors… and I think it’s really fun,” Vandermost said.

If you want to take part in the trend, consider going to local stores like Target, Walmart and even online websites like Amazon to find your perfect addition for senior year! Most seniors said they purchased their backpacks from Target or Amazon.

While not every student on campus has little kid backpacks strapped to their backs, one thing seems certain: This trend will be welcomed on LAHS’s campus for many years to come.