The component of self concept, that’s exactly it! For me it’s not tools. But I love being the person who always has a band aid, a painkiller, a needle and thread, a tampon. You really don’t need that stuff every day, but when you need it, you NEED it. And it’s nice to get to be helpful like that.
Plus in my backpack, there’s everything I need for staying the night somewhere. I used to live way out of town and frequently miss the last bus, so it became a habit to be prepared.
I have one pair of underwear, one pair of socks, a toothbrush+paste, face moisturizer and hand cream.
Also, a foldable reusable shopping bag, a small umbrella, and a water bottle.