A rolling suitcase....really???

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · May 23, 2012

When I was in the university, I took the 6:30 am train into town and the 7 pm train home. In the meantime, I transferred to the university using buses. The campus was large, and I had various university classes throughout the week from early morning and sometimes till night. It was absolutely necessary that I bring my books for those classes, as well as my computer, and a notebook--not to mention a lunch and/or thermos as well as a sweater or coat. During my train ride, I would use my books to study--meaning I got an extra 2-3 hrs study time during transit. I found a small, inexpensive rolling overnight case to be ideal; a backpack would not be suitable or healthy. For those of you who take one class a day/evening and have a car to leave and retrieve supplies/books then a backpack would work. But for me, because of the hours I was away from home and the distance I had to travel, I have always been a proponnent of a rolling backback or small rolling case.

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · May 23, 2012

i LOVE my rolling backpack! lol. i felt like a nerd, but at least i wasn't breaking my back!

In the 90s when I was working down town for a large corporation and I took the subway or train to work. At that time, I used a small rolling overnight case instead of a briefcase. My purse and lunch would fit right in. During those years at the office, no one else on the subway or train used the rolling case but I didn't care. It save me energy. When I returned to the university some four years later, I again took the same train, subway and bus. What I saw was people were now using rolling cases, rolling backpacks, or small rolling overnight cases instead of a briefcase, etc.

destova · May 23, 2012

A lot of text books come with a code for accessing online content which includes the book in digital format. Check into the texts you have as you could just use a notebook or chromebook to access the digital book while in class rather than dragging the books to school and back.

If you bought your book used and don't have the code you can look for a stand alone code card online (Amazon). The ones I've seen are around $30 for stand alone codes. For those of you that will consider just buying the code and not the book, remember that you can only access it while online so be sure you have online access anywhere you'd need to study at.

caliotter3 · May 23, 2012

Nowadays many people buy e textbooks and just lug around their laptop and the one or two books that might not have an electronic edition.

mannajill · May 23, 2012

I have not needed a rolling case (or even a backpack) for one or two pre-nursing or general classes per class day. I just carry my book, binder, & purse.

HOWEVER, starting the nursing program this Fall, I fully intend to purchase a rolling backpack! Notice I did not say rolling suitcase (as in luggage). The difference is that a rolling backpack is tall, but not very wide. A carry-on style rolling suitcase is wider than it is tall. The reason I make the distinction is to address the problem of floor space in a classroom. I had a lady in one of my classes last semester who toted a plastic crate on wheels! Of course she sat in the front seat of a very narrow row. Getting in or out of that row once she was seated, was.. well, let's just say.. inconvenient. A rolling backpack takes up much less space and should not cause tripping problems for others in a classroom.

Although I will only have one class per day in the program, it lasts all day (8am-4pm). That means I'll be carrying at least one large textbook, a large binder, a couple of assessment/drug books for reference, laptop, jacket, lunch, phone, & necessary purse contents. On lab days, I will also have extra equipment (stethoscope, scissors, penlight, etc).

I know that L.L.Bean carries excellent rolling backpacks. They are more expensive than others, but the quality and durability is unbeatable. I'm hoping that mine will last me through two years of nursing school and beyond.

In our second year, I think the rolling backpack will prove indispensable when we are doing clinicals at healthcare facilities.

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · May 23, 2012

I have found that rolling backpacks are heavier than the small rolling overnight bags. I had various sizes but each had a telescoping handle and rolled on the short side. I did have a rolling attache case from Costco, but I preferred the larger interior that a small rolling/carry on overnight bag provided. I never liked E-books because, in the past, they did not reflect the entire text. Now, the e-books may reflect exactly what is contained in the text book; however, I find reading a book on my tablet or computer for hours on end very fatiguing. This is the reason I prefer buy the heavy nursing books. Everyone has their own preference; as for me, I prefer roll the load, save my energy for my patients, and not waste it trudging around heavy books, etc.

IndyElmer · May 23, 2012

A rolling backpack takes up much less space and should not cause tripping problems for others in a classroom.

It really depends on the classroom. I've been in plenty of classrooms that would be difficult to access the rows of seats even if no one had additional bags of any kind. For those who choose a larger bag because of commuting/scheduling necessitating the carting around of a lot of stuff, it's always nice to try to sit in the front (or back) one or two rows and if at all possible, find a spot along the periphery of the front (or back) of the room where you can feel comfortable leaving your rolling case and simply take a couple writing utensils & notebook to your seat.

coco.nut · May 23, 2012

Regarding digital copies: great for class, but I would not want to bring my laptop to a clinical site. Sadly things (food, books, stethoscopes) grow legs sometimes....

grownuprosie · May 23, 2012

leaving your rolling case and simply take a couple writing utensils & notebook to your seat.

Great idea! Now to find a subtle way to suggest this to the lady with the giant roller suitcase!

blaquepapillion, ASN, BSN · May 23, 2012

Personally... a rolling backpack was one of the best investments I ever made for nursing school. My Fundamentals Book alone made the purchase a worthy expense.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · May 23, 2012

One of my brilliant classmates came up with the idea of using s boxcutter to cut out the chapters in our GIANT book (we have concept-based, so basically one book for the whole program-not counting NANDA, drug, pharm, etc) and hole punching (some had each one collated and bound). Take what you need. Another classmate turned us on to selling textbooks direct on Amazon. People will buy anything as long as you are honest. My friend got $150 for the cut up book (it really is no different than the "binder-ready" versions that are sold).

As far as the rolling book bags-YES!!!!!

IndyElmer · May 23, 2012

One of my brilliant classmates came up with the idea of using s boxcutter to cut out the chapters in our GIANT book (we have concept-based, so basically one book for the whole program-not counting NANDA, drug, pharm, etc) and hole punching (some had each one collated and bound). Take what you need.

You can also take your book to a office supply store and for around $5, they'll remove the entire binding & hole-punch the whole thing for you. (Some office supply stores are CRAZY expensive, so call around. I think Staples was the cheapest last I checked.