This is Washington State University student Chris Lane.
And in the spirit of Flickr's Persona Project, here's Chris Lane's profile and the items he carries on a daily basis.
Graphing Calculator
Chris Lane is an engineering major, and with that comes a lot of math. One of the main reasons he has a graphing calculator with him at all times is to solve complex equations, such as integrals, that would be close to impossible by hand. Lane says it’s something he can’t live without as an engineering major, whether it be solving problems on an assignment or a test. He points out that the calculating capabilities are similar to that of Excel while also serving as a much smaller, more compact version of Excel. Lane says the compact nature of the calculator is a major pro when it comes to graphing calculators. I don’t work a lot with numbers myself, but I certainly can appreciate the notion of having a smaller device to run complex calculations to make solving problems easier.
Engineering Computation Notepad
Also referred to as engineering paper, Chris says he isn’t a fan of hauling this around, but describes it as a necessary evil, as it’s required in most of his classes. For Lane, the biggest advantage in having the notepad comes in when he needs to write out the process of solving problems, whether it be for himself or for his professors. It’s one of the bigger items Lane carries around on a daily basis. He says a backpack is always necessary to carry the notepad around. As someone who needs to carry a handful of textbooks to class, I can sympathize with Lane’s difficulties in managing a bulky item like a large notepad.
Car Keys
One of the biggest conveniences, according to Lane, is his car. Lane says having the means to be able to go grocery shopping, visit his girlfriend, and see family back home are major advantages to having a car around. Being able to go to places where you couldn’t when walking, and leaving whenever you want are other bonuses, according to Lane. I don’t have a car with me now, but having driven in the past back home, having a car makes the possibilities on where to go virtually endless.
Apple MacBook Laptop
Lane says a college student virtually can’t survive without having a laptop at their disposal. For Lane, everything academically is filtered through what he does on his laptop. Anything from lectures, to classes, to homework assignments and tests are, or can be done online. He says the smaller MacBook allows him to easily whip it out for homework in between classes, and an easy item to carry around for meeting up with other engineers for group work. As a college student myself, having a laptop is a necessity, and the portable nature of these devices makes anything from taking notes to completing assignments much easier.
iPhone
Any simple problem can be solved with a smartphone nowadays, according to Lane. He says the most use he gets out of his iPhone is keeping in contact with loved ones and using Google to browse the web for any information he needs. Like many others, Lane uses his phone to engage in social media and watch YouTube as well. An iPhone user myself, being able to pull out an item as small as a smartphone and do whatever I please, whether it be for work or entertainment shows how smartphones are one of the best examples when it comes to defining the phrase “mobile devices.”
Cougar Card
Much like the iPhone, Lane’s Cougar Card provides many advantages as a student. While Lane says the card isn’t the most useful thing he carries, being able to swipe to gain access to locations around campus, showing the card to bus drivers for free rides, and having the sports pass loaded on the card make life a little easier. I use my card in a similar manner, and having multiple items loaded onto a wallet-sized card makes accessibility that much easier.
AirPods Pro
Lane says listening to music is vital in helping him stay focused. He says he makes use of the noise cancellation feature on the AirPods to mitigate any noise and to help him focus on whatever he is working on. As someone who runs, Lane says he appreciates the fact that there are no wires with the AirPods as that was a major inconvenience using wired earbuds when running. I also own AirPods, and the small charging case along with no wires is helpful for me, especially moving around when I work out.
Wallet
Lane says if he didn’t have this, he’d have many cards and dollar bills sitting in his pockets. Along with being small enough to fit inside a slot in a backpack, he says the wallet serves as a great organizer for money, identifications cards, and licenses. “My whole life is kind of wrapped up in my wallet,” Lane said. The ability to gain access or purchase whatever he wants is all thanks to the organization of the wallet, according to Lane. I have a smaller wallet meant for cards and being able to flip it open and grab whatever card I need while also having all of them in one place is a major benefit.
Mechanical Pencil
“A very necessary item I use every day,” Lane said. Whether it’s taking notes or taking a test, Lane says the pencil is one of the most versatile items he carries with him. He says the smaller size of pencils in general makes it easy to store and whip out at any given time. I carry many pencils and pens myself and having something like a pencil pouch to store them in, is a benefit to having such a useful tool that’s as small as it is.
Eraser
Lane says his eraser, much like the pencil, is an absolute necessity to have on him. Lane points out the quality of handheld erasers as opposed to the one on his mechanical pencil. He says the eraser has saved his grade from time to time and getting rid of mistakes cleanly makes his work more legible and easier to follow. Lane says he is amazed with how erasers can be so small yet last a long time. Most of my work is done online, and I don’t necessarily need to “erase” much as opposed to hitting the backspace key. But being able to have the best quality eraser at one’s disposal, especially considering the number of mistakes that can be made in calculations, is something I can appreciate.
Trilobite Fossil
A sentimental piece for Lane that he occasionally carries around with him is his fossil his girlfriend got for him in Oregon. He has it with him to remind himself of her and as a reminder that she remembered Lane’s liking of prehistoric items. Similar to Lane, I also have a small trinket-like can of Tabasco sauce my dad gave me when I first got to WSU. I sometimes carry it around on me, and it serves as a reminder of him and the rest of my family, similar to how Chris’ fossil is a reminder of his girlfriend.
Guitar Pick
For Chris, the guitar pick is a small part of one of the ways he can find an escape through all the hard work as an engineer. He says he has a guitar which he uses the pick for, and during his free time, he gets together with some friends and “jams” with them. While the guitar itself isn’t very mobile, the pick that Lane accidentally brings with him sometimes, certainly is, according to Lane. But when he does bring it, Lane says it can be fun to “fidget” around with. While I can’t say I’ve left my apartment with a guitar pick, I’ve certainly had my fair share of earbuds, chap stick, and hand sanitizer that I brought without me noticing.
Apple MacBook Charger
Much like the pick and the guitar, you can’t have the laptop without the charger, according to Chris. While Lane uses it virtually every day, he says it’s one of those items you don’t often think about until you need it and find out you don’t have it. He says the charger may not be the smallest, but having a backpack makes the charger seem much more “portable” along with the small size of the MacBook. My laptop charger is similar. With a longer cable than virtually any smartphone charger, the charger seems much more mobile when you have a backpack to carry it in.
Spiral Notebook
A major chunk of homework is thought about and written down here, according to Lane. Much like the mechanical pencil and eraser, the notebook gets its use in doing as the name implies, holding notes taken during class. While the notebook is one of the bigger items Lane carries, he says he can’t imagine the notebook being much smaller. He says if the notebooks were any smaller, they would become notepads and wouldn’t be useful. As someone who uses many spiral notebooks for my classes, having a backpack is a lifesaver in carrying notebooks around. While I believe anyone can certainly carry them by hand, a stack of notebooks can be much more difficult to carry compared to having your hands free after placing them in a backpack.
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