The rolling backpack debate

Nursing Students General Students

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I need to be convinced. I had my second day of my second semester and I physically cannot afford to carry around this backpack much longer. I have a LL Bean bag that I splurged on because I thought it would be comfortable. All it does in jab in my sides and give me the look of kyphosis! I had classes during the summer and I dealt with it because I really only needed one textbook. I have six classes now over three days, and I have to bring my laptop everyday. I know I don't need to bring all my books, and really I will only bring books for two of my classes (Patho and Med-Surg), which we were told we'd need to bring. I have to walk about 1/4 mile from the parking lot (I think that's a good estimate) and I don't really have much time (or the inclination) to switch books between classes.

I guess what's stopping me, is that I have classes with 80+ people and I haven't seen one wheelie bag. 95% of my classmates are young, and I'm 35. I already feel a touch out of place and I know it doesn't matter what they think...but how in the world are they carrying this stuff around without walking all hunched over? Is it just me being "older" and out of shape? All I had today was two notebooks, laptop, and my fundamental text and it's killing my back. I guess I could arrange to trade bringing in books with a classmate, but I'd still be stuck bringing them sometimes.

So should I just risk being the oddball for my comfort and to save my back? Maybe I'll start a trend at my school :cool:.

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You should get the wheeled backpack if you think that it will be more comfortable for you, the heck with everyone else! I personally dislike the wheeled backpacks (keep in mind that I'm only 25 and strong from years of training horses. Plus I seem to be terribly clumsy with rolling luggage), but if it would be a better choice for my health, it wouldn't matter if someone else had a negative opinion about them.

I do see plenty of them on campus, held by people of all ages and both genders, if that is any comfort to you =).

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As for the young folk, who cares what they think? :) If having it will save your back (I'm 36 so I get it) then do it. The one I have rolls but also has back straps so I can carry it when I need to. Save yourself! LOL I am not the only one who has one but even if I was, I would still have one. Go for it. :up:

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You could always debind your books and then just put the chapters you need for the week in a binder. You can't sell them back to the bookstore but I'm sure another student would buy them off you. Otherwise, a backpack for hiking makes a huge difference.

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Are those young people going to pay for your medical bills? Why force the issue of fitting in because no one has a rolling backpack. Break that trend, be the first to go for a rolling backpack. I say your back is more important than what other people think about you dragging that around. If the amount of energy that you expend causes you to be less effective as a nurse because of carrying books then it is not worth it. Leave weight lifting for working out with the correct form. Carrying many books on your back is ill advised by any doctor.

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Save your back, and get a rolling one. I'm 26, and I have one!! A regular one just kills my back.

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I'm 24, been Rollin around with one for two years! No way in he@@ I'd try and hike my books on my back, that would be crazy!

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I'm in my second week of my ASN program and I started out with a regular backpack. I switched to a rolling one last night because my shoulder and back were starting to kill me.

I say go for it and save your back!

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I don't understand the controversy or debate about rolling bags. Nursing books weigh a ton and hoisting/carrying a bag full of them the wrong way could cause serious injury (never mind daily discomfort) -- then how would you go to school and/or work? Health and safety trump appearance in my book. And honestly, I couldn't even tell you whether my classmates use rolling bags or not; I have a few other things on my mind. Bust out the rolly bag! :D

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I got a rolling bag a almost 3 years ago when I dislocated my shoulder and it's the best purchase ever! It fits everything I need and then some. I was the only one with a wheelie in micro and chemistry, but I didn't care. After my 2nd week in NS about 20 people ended up with the same bag :/ I shouldn't have shared my secret of where i got it*L*

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Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

Lots of my classmates are older (up into the 50s) and have rolling backpacks. If it makes you happy, go for it.

It's not my personal thing, but who cares what a bunch of kids think anyway?

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Normally I wouldn't weigh in on something like this, because the health of your back trumps fashion any day. However, I have a huge reason for being 100% against rolling bags. My school is arranged in dozens of buildings, with classroom doors accessible on the outside of the building instead of entering a building to get to a classroom. This means miles of sidewalk, with a dip every few feet and that dreadful pebble concrete.

Now imagine you're in class taking an exam or just trying to listen to a lecture and you're suddenly bombarded with this loud horrible noise of, "clunk.... clunk.... clunk.... clunk... clunk" for a good 30 seconds, every few minutes. That my friends, is the sound of a rolling bag at my school and it echos through out the entire building as the person pulling it is oblivious to its horendous noise.

I'll admit that once during a quiz in a chemistry class I was taking, I opened the door to the classroom and yelled "shut up" like an old woman yelling at her neighbors. At my school, the bags are dreadful and everyone gives you the stink eye if you carry them because of how loud and annoying they are across campus.

However, I digress, if you're campus is "dip" and "pebble concrete" free, I'd say go for it.

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