Next school year at Roncalli High School is going to feel strange. Really strange. The school administration recently announced a new policy: starting in the fall, students are no longer allowed to carry backpacks during the school day. When I first heard this, I thought it was a joke—or some weird rumor spread around for laughs. But no. It’s real. Roncalli sent out an official email explaining the rule… or at least mentioning it. Because, truth be told, they didn’t really explain it at all.

I’ve been alive for seventeen years, and for as long as I can remember—whether it was kindergarten, middle school, or high school—carrying a backpack has been the normal thing to do. It’s practically a part of the school uniform. You put your folders, your notebooks, your pens, pencils, water bottle, earbuds, maybe a snack or two in there. Some people even hang little keychains or decorations on their zippers, just to show a bit of personality. My backpack holds everything I need to survive a seven-hour school day. Now… what are we supposed to do? Stuff our arms full of books and hope we don’t drop everything on the way to third period?

And I’m not the only one frustrated. In fact, most of the students I’ve talked to are confused and irritated. How are we supposed to carry everything without a bag? Some kids have to walk all the way across the building from the fine arts center to the English section between classes—lugging textbooks, Chromebooks, and binders in their arms like overworked delivery drivers. And what happens if you have gym fourth period and AP Chemistry fifth period? Where’s your gym stuff supposed to go? Magic pockets?

The worst part of this new policy isn’t even the rule itself—it’s the reasoning, or rather, the lack of one. Roncalli never told us why they’re doing this. The teachers won’t tell us. The principal gave no proper explanation in the announcement, and the letter to parents was just as vague. Some people think it’s for safety reasons, but if that’s true, why not just say so? If there’s something serious going on, we deserve to know. After all, we are the ones affected most by this sudden change.

Others think the school is trying to stop kids from hiding phones or snacks or forbidden energy drinks in their bags, but let’s be honest: that’s not going to stop anyone. If someone wants to sneak something into school, they’ll find a way—with or without a backpack. And meanwhile, the rule is going to make everyday life way harder for the rest of us who just want to carry our history book and our Spanish folder to class without having our arms fall off.

For the seniors, it’s just one last weird rule to put up with before graduation. But for the freshmen—poor freshmen—it’s going to be four years of juggling books like circus performers. Some kids are already joking that Roncalli’s going to hand out rolling carts or giant tote bags like we’re going grocery shopping between classes. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised.

I know school rules change sometimes. I get that. But it feels wrong when nobody explains the why. We’re old enough to handle the truth, whatever it is. Instead, we’re left with a new rule, a lot of questions, and no good answers.

So here we are—no backpacks, no explanation, and a very awkward-looking future of kids running around school with armfuls of supplies, hoping they don’t drop their calculator or lunch on the way to class.

I’ve been using a backpack my whole life. And now Roncalli says… no more.

The only thing I can say for sure? Next year is going to be interesting. And probably messy.