What’s in your bag?

Nasim Mirzai, a CAS junior majoring in Art History and an NYU Fine Arts Society officer, describes her bag as a bottomless pit filled with surprises. To Mirzai, it maybe a never-ending pouch, but it is also the bag of a creative, fashionable student.

Kaitlin Christy for WSN

1. School Notebooks
Mirzai’s art history notebooks are excellent representations of her love for art and travel. One notebook is covered with Vincent Van Gogh’s “Almond Blossom” painting — Mirzai had this same image in poster form hanging above her bed during her freshman year. The serene painting still keeps her calm, cool and collected when school is stressful. Mirzai’s second notebook is covered by a world map, which makes the plain black notebook a lot more fun. She uses the notebooks to plan meetings and organize museum outings for the Fine Arts Society.

Kaitlin Christy for WSN

2. Dark Chocolate
Mirzai says, Trader Joe’s dark chocolate is what is her perfect pick-me-up. “When life has me down or I am stressed out about school, I have my dark chocolate to get me through it,” she said. A little piece of chocolate is the perfect way for Mirzai to recuperate from her hectic work schedule.

Kaitlin Christy for WSN

3. “Fight Club”
“‘Flight Club’ is different from the types of books I normally read, but I am purposefully reading it slowly because it’s just so good,” Mirzai said. Reading is one of her favorite pastimes, and she is a fan of classic novels by authors like Jane Austen. “I felt like the only person who hasn’t read [‘Fight Club’] or at least heard of it,” Mirzai said. She borrowed the book from her friend, and it has been in her bag since last school year.

Kaitlin Christy for WSN

4. Tea Collection
Mirzai recently developed a love of tea as a replacement for coffee. “Coffee did crazy things to me,” she said. Mirzai always carries tea in her purse — especially for when it gets cold. Throughout winter she always has a mug in hand. Mirzai enjoys traditional, tasty tea varieties like Earl Grey, Moroccan mint and chai.

A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Sept. 20 print edition. Kaitlin Christy is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.