Like neon billboards greeting pedestrians from the side of buildings, various colorful keychains hang on my bag to announce my characteristics to the world, carrying many special memories.
Six different keychains hang on my bag, and none of them has a uniform color or shape — they all come from different time periods and places.
Keychain 1: a luggage tag
The first keychain tied to my bag is actually a luggage tag I got when my family immigrated to the U.S. from China in 2023. I doodled a beloved character named Toru Oikawa from “Haikyu” on the tag right before I left, making it unique.
Although its bright orange color and white airplane pattern make it a bit strange for a backpack, it has spent every moment with me after I came here, so I love it, no matter if it looks brilliant or terrible. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of my hometown.
Keychains 2-3: candy-shaped keychains
Two candy-shaped keychains dangle from my backpack zipper. Though I have a huge passion for game collectibles, they are usually fragile and easily damaged. However, these two keychains have a padded shell that prevents scratches and feels satisfying to pinch. It makes me happy to keep the characters I like by my side.
Keychain 4: a rabbit doll gift
The fourth keychain is a gray rabbit I received from my friend as a birthday present last year. Since I first entered Saratoga High as a freshman, she has always welcomed me enthusiastically. Cherishing our friendship, I added it to my bag immediately after I got it.
Keychains 5-6: presents from my aunt
Then, I added another two ball keychains — one of them is light yellow with soft fur, and another is blue and fluffy — to the handle of my backpack. These keychains are both gifts I received from my aunt who used to live with me in China. Every time she went back to her hometown, she brought back interesting toys like the two fluffy little balls. They remind me how much I miss my aunt and how grateful I am for her.
Although keychains specialize my bag and express my personality, they still cause some inconveniences. They clang into each other while I walk, which can be especially embarrassing when the environment needs to stay quiet, like entering a classroom when the class has already begun. Occasionally, they tangle together and make it hard to open the bag.
Those inconveniences have never stopped me from keeping these keychains on. Some friends told me that despite their love for keychains, the trinkets would fall off or turn brown with dirt. Luckily, this has never happened to me, and I hope it never will.
In the future, I’m sure I will add more keychains to my backpack and protect them. They personalize my backpack, keeping things I love around me all the time. While keychains may seem insignificant, they aren’t just tied to my bag — they’re tied to my life and identity.
