WSSU student shares her master packing tips

Winston-Salem State University sophomore Elizabeth Childs caught the eye of the world in August when she posted photos on Twitter of her amazing packing skills as she was returning to campus from her home in Tacoma, Washington.

WSSU News caught up with Childs to find out more about her.

How did you learn to pack?

Learning to pack was a trial and error experience for me. Originally, it started as me using two or three bags when traveling. When I got accepted into WSSU, I realized that I can’t and don’t really want to keep up with 2-3 bags every time I go to and from school. So, it was all just a learning experience on the best way to pack the most items in the smallest way.

Why are packing skills so important?

There are a lot of costs that go into flying, from the cost of plane tickets, rooms, etc. A cost you don’t really want to add is $60-$80 for each of your bags. Packing skills are important because you can save a lot of money in minimizing the amount of bags you travel with. Being an out-of-state student, I need to save all the money I can.

What was your reaction when the photos you posted went viral?

I was definitely beyond surprised. I was mostly in awe an amazement that it caught fire the way it did just because it was a photo of me just packing to go back to college and now I have all of these people interested in how I did it, and I’m gaining all of this exposure. It’s honestly just amazingly crazy.

What has your Mom said about your skills?

My mom's reaction was just kind of surprised that I was able to fit all of my items into just one bag, but she was also happy, too, because she’s usually the one paying for my flights and checked bags. So, she didn’t have to spend a lot of money on checking multiple bags.

Why did you choose WSSU and when?

For as long ago as I can remember, I knew that I wanted to go to an HBCU. My freshman year of high school, I was on the cheerleading team and was researching new cheer styles and cheers, and that’s when I found the Powerhouse. I immediately fell in love with them, and then I sat there and was like, “Well what school is this?” That’s when I fell down what I like to call, “The Winston hole.” I fell in love with the campus, the atmosphere, the values and the vibes I got from just looking at the pictures and watching videos. I could just see myself on the campus. So, because of all these factors,  when it came time for me to apply to schools during my senior year, Winston was my first choice. Once I got accepted, there was no question or anything in my mind. I was going to be a Ram.

What are your ultimate goals?

I want to be an entrepreneur, have a lot of businesses, have my hand in a lot of different things because I’m so interested and intrigued in a lot of different things. One of my main goals is to give the youth experiences and opportunities that I never received. I don’t really know how I’m going to accomplish all of these things or get my hands in them but I know it’s going to happen and I’m not only going to be successful, but I’m also going to give others the opportunities and resources to be successful too.

What advice do you have for someone who needs to travel light?

My biggest piece of advice has to be invest in a large rolling duffle bag instead of suitcase. Overall they have more space, more compartments and they’re also collapsible and way easier to store.

What has your experience been like at WSSU so far?

 Honestly, it has been everything I expected and dreamed about it being. For the first time in my life, I was a part of the majority and not the minority. WSSU is building me up and molding me into being a successful, well-rounded, and aware person. I’m honestly even more in love with it than I was when I first discovered WSSU my freshman year of high school.