?What Does Your Locker Say About You

Like the closed lockers, all soldiers look the same when they are in their uniform. It’s very hard to stand out. But, by taking a peek into their “tiny homes”, we identified just how unique each person is. 

Firstly, we have the Minimalist. The clean, organised, completely symmetrical locker, belonging to the soldier whose uniform is never out of place, and whose notes are perfected to the max. In this case, Maya Becker serves as the perfect example for the model locker. “It is my comfort place,” says Maya, “It holds everything dearest to me when I am far from home.” 

Firstly, we have the Minimalist. The clean, organised, completely symmetrical locker, belonging to the soldier whose uniform is never out of place, and whose notes are perfected to the max. In this case, Maya Becker serves as the perfect example for the model locker. “It is my comfort place,” says Maya, “It holds everything dearest to me when I am far from home.” 

Returning to an organized assortment of her belongings at the end of a busy day sets Maya up for a peaceful evening. “If I couldn't find my things quickly, it’d really throw me off.”

Next up is the Chaotic locker, three items, zero apologies. A cologne bottle stands center stage alongside two plastic bags of unknown purpose and a notebook resting in rust. It’s not messy, it’s intentional simplicity… we think.

And finally, the Trendy locker, the one which has every skincare product you could possibly imagine, lined up according to color coordination and the facial feature they’re assigned to treat. “My locker’s all set up in pink,” said Ori Varshavsky, “It had to be a color I could identify with every morning”. 

Despite each space being true to its owner, some trends apply to everybody. What most soldiers have in their lockers on the Gidonim base might surprise you. Here is what the polls concluded:

After spending close to three months in these rooms, although they may not be the most luxurious, most soldiers have found comfort within their private space. “It’s silly, but I feel strange thinking somebody else will use my locker after me, that what now seems very long has in fact been a fleeting moment,” said Lihi, another soldier on the base, “I hope the next person takes good care of it and tolerates the door that doesn't close all the way.”

As we empty out our belongings, and close the doors for the final time, we’re saying goodbye to the opening chapter of our service. And while we look forward to new, exciting experiences, we’ll always remember those little gray lockers, and the countless stories they held – of beginnings, endings, and every moment in between.