Letters.

Missives from the writing life.

Volume 1, Issue 2
May 26, 2026

What's in my bag—or, how I stayed sane for my weekly commute to New York

When I registered for a class at NYU this winter, I wondered if it was crazy to commute from Baltimore to New York every week. I suspected it might be, but the class—a non-fiction writing and pitching course taught by an industry legend—had been on my bucket list for twelve years. She hadn’t taught it in-person since the pandemic and I didn’t know when or if she would again. I cashed in on my proximity to Baltimore’s Amtrak station and hoped for the best.

I also reshaped how I travel. My slow and methodical approach to packing wouldn’t fly for a weekly one-nighter. I couldn’t afford the time. Space was at a similar premium. My evening commute—from Amtrak to subway to class and back to the subway—demanded I carry only my laptop backpack.

At a get-together several weeks into my class, a friend asked, “Where do you put your clothes?” A valid question. One hoodie could almost fill a backpack. By that time I had everything down to a science, but it required planning ahead. Every week I budgeted one small REI cinch sack, squished to its smallest size, for clothing.

To stay within this budget I asked myself, what do I really need for one night? Most nights I wear cotton pajama pants with little moons and stars printed on them and an oversized t-shirt. For one night I could wear super-thin track pants and whatever tee or tank I’d worn that day. If I planned an outfit that recycled the same pants and long-sleeve overshirt, I could pack only a fresh set of underwear and a tank top for the next morning. I laid everything flat on top of the track pants, then rolled then into a tidy cylinder and slid it into the cinch sack.

Next to that went my little toiletry bag and cable garage. I kept this packed and ready, which meant stocking duplicates of everything that lives in the bathroom at home: toothbrush, toothpaste, allergy nasal sprays. Again, I omitted anything I could live without for one night.

Multi-taskers also helped save space and weight. Instead of a paper book, I traveled with a slim ereader. I used a three-in-one magnetic charger for small devices. Charging your watch, phone, and headphones from a single outlet is a huge help when couch surfing in New York apartments (or any place with older construction).

In the end, I came away with three big packing strategies:

• Think ahead and minimize the amount of stuff you pack in the first place (wash hair the night before, admit you can sleep one night without your mouthguard, etc.)
• Maximize the amount of stuff that stays packed all the time (spare laptop charger in the bottom of the backpack, essential toiletries in a separate bag/container, etc.) so you don’t waste an hour every week getting ready to leave
• Plan your outfits so you don’t need space hogs like pants or a long-sleeved shirt

My commitment to simplicity paid off. The class was a great experience, and attending every week showed me a quick trip to New York doesn’t need to be a logistical burden. I’m already saying yes to more opportunities up there: a writing group, a lunch event, a casual meeting. After all, my bag is already half-packed.

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