Back in the day in December 2015, as we were combing through the streets of New York as tourists, in the cold cold Winter, my friend jokingly called my bag a Survival Kit. And oh yes, was she right?! It’s a little like Sheldon Cooper’s emergency bag in the popular sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. The only difference is that I take mine everywhere. Well, almost everywhere! And I use it every day. And it tends to come in very handy sometimes
“Mo, can you please help charge my phone for a minute?” Sure thing!
“Oh, this cold has made my lips so flaky; do you have some lip balm?” But, of course!
“I have a slight headache; do you have some aspirin?” Yes baby!
So, what really is in my bag?
Let’s quickly run through it! In no particular order, these are the items I almost always have in my bag. Almost always.
Lip Balm because I lick my lips all the time and they dry out every other minute.
Hand Cream because I can’t bear the look and feel of my palms whenever I come out of the rest room with my palms all washed out. Those dry, whitish palms usually look like the palms of a stranger. So, I usually have to oil up!
Make-up Bag because you never can tell when you will be invited for an outing or an impromptu photo shoot!
My Phone (and Earphones) because… Do I even have to explain it? I hear people say from time to time that they forgot their phone at home. Always just strange to me. It’s like forgetting to put on my shoes!
A Power Bank because I hate saying the words ‘my phone has gone off’ as much as I hate hearing them. And of course, my phone charger!
Facial Tissue because I sweat a lot. Like a lot, like very much. And sweat ruins everything if you do not quickly dab it.
Eyeglasses because this girl has to see! I forgot my glasses at home one day. Let’s just say that day was colorless. The earth was without form and void! 🙂
Chewing Gum because sometimes the days are so so long and I just want to avoid a mouth that blows. Let’s just say I do it to keep the oral cavity sane at all times. Some people open their mouths and you just want to throw some mint in because dear dear dear, it just blows.
Deodorant and Perfume are for much the same reason as above. No unpleasant smell should ooze from your body, period. Can we all just agree that we have a civic responsibility to those around us? A responsibility to not smell!
Sanitary Supplies because anything can happen at any time. That doesn’t usually happen to me but still. It just gives me some comfort.
Painkillers for that nagging headache that sometimes comes out of the blue.
You will also find things like my wallet, keys, hairbrush, hand sanitizer, etc. Other random items like umbrellas come and go, depending on the season. Same with sunglasses. I also like having wipes but it’s not a regular feature.
Ideally, one should have travel-sized items for all these things. Sometimes I do, other times I don’t. So, in extreme cases, I just use two bags. Hello Fashion Police! Where are y’all at? For me, at least for regular day-to-day outings, my bag is more a utility piece than a fashion item. So, I will step out with a thousand bags if I have to because I know I will most likely need some of these things when I’m out and about. And I hate having to ask people if they have this or that.
What you Won’t Find…
Now, that you (finally) know what’s in my bag, let’s also look at the things you won’t find in my bag.
Number one on this list is cash!
“So in this your big bag, you don’t have N1,000?” I don’t have o.
“What if you have an urgent need for cash?” I rarely have those. So really, no strong use case for changing this policy.
Another thing I don’t have is ‘room’, you get?
“Please help me keep this book in your bag. I’ll get it later.”
I’m sorry. I don’t have room for that. The bag is heavy enough as it is. I’m not about to have my shoulder/arm crooked because you want to look fancy. 🙂
So, next time you feel like asking ‘What’s in Your Bag, Mo?’, don’t! Because you already know J
