What do you use to transport your books?

[rn in 3 years]

I bought a rolling briefcase type of thing to bring my books back and forth to class. I did this mainly becasue I have 3 of my 4 classes on the same days (plus a lab) and there are 6 books I wil have to transport most days. I am 34 and did not want a back pack because it would be very heavy for my back. My 16 year old son says they are going to make fun of me for having a rolling briefcase. Will they? Not that it matters (I told him I am going to learn, not make friends) but I was just wondering if I will stick out.

[Lisa CCU RN, RN]

both nursing schools i've applied to, including the one where i currently take my pre-reqs, are full of nursing students with rolling backpacks. it's actually a good way to spot them! i think they're awesome (the students and the bags, actually) and am planning to get one myself when i start clinicals. i want to preserve my back! i also have really short legs as it is, and i don't need to have a ton of books on my back slowing me down all the more...

so, for those of you who have them, what kind do you have? i'd love to hear some recommendations. my hubby is actually trying to hunt one down for me - my birthday is right before clinicals start, and he's already said he wants to make that one of my presents.

i have a small rolling suitcase, not a rolling backpack since that's not much bigger than a regular backpack.

you got to remember, you need room as well as the freedom from carrying heavy books on your back.

i took mine to school today and i had no problems.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

After this thread, I was watching what people were doing to transport their books around when I was at my community college yesterday. It was interesting. I saw a number of people who had much larger cases on wheels. I saw a number of nursing students with these including the male students as well. I thought my coding books took up a lot of space! Apparently, the nursing students at my college like to bring all their books with them and need the carriers to transport them because there are so many! I swear to God I saw quite a number of people who had bags or cases on wheels the size of banker's boxes! And, they looked like they were stuffed full!

[land64shark]

We have to bring two very bulky 2" binders plus the 100lb fundamentals text everyday. Then there's the extras we may need on a certain day like the calculations book, stethoscope, bp cuff, etc. The skills kit is it's own large bag as well. So, yeah! My bag is quite full.

[BoonersmomRN]

I went out and bought a rolling bookbag with my Christmas money- and here my Fundamentals teacher tells us we are NOT to bring our books to class! Argh! She said " books are for home". She did say occasionally we will have to bring one or two of them ( there are 11) but that we'd be told in advance. Well...anyway...I love the bag so I will get use out of it one way or another ha ha.

[sonja77]

i'd say about 60% in our class use a small suitcase (including myself), about 30% use a rolling backpack and 10% use just a backpack. i actually use the suitcase to transport all my books and a backpack for my huge (3" binder).

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

I bought a rolling briefcase type of thing to bring my books back and forth to class. I did this mainly becasue I have 3 of my 4 classes on the same days (plus a lab) and there are 6 books I wil have to transport most days. I am 34 and did not want a back pack because it would be very heavy for my back. My 16 year old son says they are going to make fun of me for having a rolling briefcase. Will they? Not that it matters (I told him I am going to learn, not make friends) but I was just wondering if I will stick out.

They won't make fun of you. In my class, there are soooooo many girls with rolling back-packs that it is amazing. And anyway, who cares? Most of the people are just like you: trying not to get scoliosis. :chuckle

You do what you have to do for yourself. Whatever helps you, do it. This is your education and back we're talking about. So, if you feel comfortable with a rolling back-pack, go ahead. It won't matter what you used when you become a nurse. :wink2: :nurse:

[grannynurse FNP student]

I use a small rolling suitcase. Although my professors generally use power point, they still reference our textbooks. And we do use them in our class.

Grannynurse:balloons:

[genhen]

My wife graduated in the Spring '04. She used a rolling backpack, which I use. Nursing books are HEAVY. I think they used nursing books as artillery shells in World War II. Between my wife and I, we have a corner of our bedroom full of nursing books.

Peace

Genhen

2nd Semester Student

[elizabetta]

Seriously, all it took me was a week and my back hurt so bad I went online to ebags and found one i liked. I love it. Sometimes I have to park too far away to be able to run and get my books between classes. I usually throw my purse, classes, pencils notebooks, books, water and sometimes lunch! Wow you can see my coming :)

Elizabeth

[Spatialized]

Well, I use this and my trusty Timbuk2 (large) messenger bag to tote things around. The bag is great, but it holds too much and things tend to get lost in it. The VW however is just right. Last year I just kept a crate in the backseat for all the books and brought them in to study when I needed. After spending all weekend with them, the Monday morning reload really sucked. Picture a harried, late nursing student carrying 4 books, bag, thermos/coffee cup, maybe even the garbage out to the car in the snow... I'm lucky I didn't do myself in that semester.

[jeny_bee]

I will admit that my friends and I did make fun of the rolling bookbags that most of our nursing class were using. I did break down and buy one though so I've been reformed.. They really are wonderful when you have so much to carry.

[Bala Shark]

The teasing about backpacks is "HIGH SCHOOL!" I hope people in college are more mature about things..Just think if you had nurses working in the hospital teasing about things like back packs..