When I was applying for college, I was greeted with the dreaded “free topic” essay. I had to come up with something creative that would show college acceptance boards who I was, showcase my writing ability, all while finding a way to stand out and be unique. I was griping about it at work when a customer overhead.
“I used to work in the admissions office for George Mason, and once I read an essay where a girl described the contents of her purse and gave a story about each item. We loved it and let her in right then and there.”
I thought the idea was a little cliché, and was pretty sure that my colleges would be uninterested in how many Target receipts I had or the sheer number of crumbled dog treats that were in my purse. (I worked for a vet at the time, don’t judge). I didn’t end up using it as a prompt for my essay, but that night I did go home, empty my purse and wonder what an outsider would think about the contents.
What is in your purse gives a unique insight into your quirks, your habits and your livelihood. It also shows what your priorities are. Let’s use my purse, for example:
I live out of my purse. It’s a simple (and wonderful) Target purse that I HIGHLY recommend.
Inside I found
—My ipad
—2 texts & a notebook for class
—My all-over planner
—My Literally, Darling planner
—The planner I use for my student newspaper
—Wallet, student ID, Raybans, & keys
—An assortment of pens, two flashdrives (because I’m that person) and a phone charger
—Sock bun & bobby pins
—My Starbucks to-go mug (you should seriously get one, it’s $1 and you get $0.10 off every order you use it with, and also it’s beautiful).
So what can you tell about me? I’m a student and a journalist. I spend a lot of time on my hair. I use my phone a lot. I drink too much Starbucks. I do a lot of composition on the go. These tiny details add up into the whole person that is me. Remember that episode of “Boy Meets World” when Sean finds a girl’s purse and then falls in love with her based on the contents? You may mock, but that’s a genuine possibility. (Not Sean falling in love you, though, despite how much I may wish for that to happen). Your purse and its contents are both your outer declaration of your personality to the world, and also the most indicative sign of who you are. As women, we are always on the go, and what we choose to keep closest to us matters, no matter how innocuous that stick of gum may be.
Let’s look at the purses of fellow Literally, Darling Editorial Board members. What do you think these say about us? And what do your purse contents say about you? Tweet us @litdarling and show us your purse dump!
