When you were younger, back to school shopping was full of wonder and excitement. You got the big box of crayons, markers of every color, spiral notebooks with puppies or monster trucks on them, lunchboxes embossed with your favorite superhero, and, of course, the coordinating backpack. Your school supplies were a personal expression of who you were—an awesome kid with an even more awesome secret identity.

As the years flew by, school supply shopping became more practical and boring. Gone were the days of color, glitter, and Batman, instead it was a pile of number two pencils, notebook paper, and a solid colored sack (that looked like everyone else’s because blending in might be the most useful survival technique in middle and high school) to hold it all.

Finally college (and freedom) knocked on your adolescent door and school supply shopping was redefined. Of course the basics were needed as they had been in the past, but now some tech was thrown into the mix—a laptop, an upgraded phone, and a music player. And as a college student, it became not about blending in (maybe a little at first), but about standing out. These were the years to find your voice and style right down to the embroidered, drawn on, never-washed, beloved backpack—your life tote.

Now as a newly employed adult, you might be tempted to bring that backpack to work. It’s not broke, why fix it? But, don’t. You don’t want to be Batman anymore (well, you might), and even Bruce Wayne knew to wear a suit and carry a briefcase during the day.

Your old backpack needs to stay at home or maybe dropped into a hazardous waste receptacle. Not saying that you must invest in an expensive briefcase or leather tote, but your bag should reflect who you are at the moment: a young professional. It’s one more way to convey you understand how to present yourself to the world, down to your choice of accessories. It sends a message to your coworkers, to management, and to the world.