Whats in your backpack?

[Windmill]

What do you carry around with you to classes at university?

I am currently in the works trying to figure out stuff like what sort of backpack and laptop/tablet I should buy for college, and I would like to know all of the stuff that you find you need to carry around with you to school

 

[nbiol]

My lappy, the power cord, notebooks and pens/pencils. This semester, a PBnJ sammie because I dont have a lunch break...
I usually carry my books in my hands... it takes the stress off my back. I got a sweet back pack with padding and stuff in it that's made especially for laptops!

 

[JeCrois]

It really depends on your classes and your schedule....what are you taking? (if you don't mind my asking!) ;-)



...I'm a science major and I only ever used my laptop in class once my entire freshman year...so I only really needed a bag to carry my binders and text books for classes. When I went to various places to study or do homework though (I lived on campus) having something to carry my computer and a few study things was nice. And the way my schedule was set up I usually had time to slip by my dorm off and on so I didn't have several classes worth of stuff to tote around. Also on days I was tight for lunch (or breakfast) I carried around snacks to chew on between classes.

If you have a busy schedule a nice strong backpack is good enough....and I don't suggest a single-strap-over-the-shoulder thing either cause I had a bad experience once with one that fell apart right in the middle of a stairway! It couldn't handle all the weight of my books!

 

[Windmill]

I will be an arts major, with a major in theology. A mix of statistics, greek, philosophy, english and theology essentially

I plan on using a tablet PC instead of paper too.

 

[MrsSeptemberPenguin]

Generally I just carry my books, some pens and pencils, highlighters, phone, and probably some food or something too

 

[JeCrois]

I will be an arts major, with a major in theology. A mix of statistics, greek, philosophy, english and theology essentially

Fun...I can't imagine the work load being too extreme. Well, I take that back....it will just be different!

I plan on using a tablet PC instead of paper too.

I thought the same thing too!...it's good in theory but most professors get annoyed by it!

 

[Windmill]

No I'm taking it for a multitude of reasons, one being that it won't be too extreme Except the Greek, that won't be easy.

Did your professors really get annoyed by it? o.o

 

[moonkitty]

I don’t have a lap top (I may get one this fall though….) Anyways I usually keep a binder and spiral bound notebook for each class that I have. So I take those and the required text book as well. And of course pens/pencil. I also have a mini stapler and a mini hole punch that are usually in my book bag as well.

 

[JeCrois]

Did your professors really get annoyed by it? o.o

I guess it depends on the person. Some teachers will just flat out say they don't want to see them in class. One of my lab professors who also teaches lectures brought up how annoying it was to have students in there "taking notes" when in reality they're on facebook or something....so I thought I'd try it out and bring it to one of my classes. It's true...they got frustrated--never told me off but you could tell there was tension. So I didn't do it anymore.
http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxmk788YYUS

But this is just my school...there are probably tons of other places that actually welcome this!

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

I live 30-40 minutes away from school so when I am taking classes all day long I use a pretty big backpack from High Sierra. It has a place for everything, including water bottles, cell phones, an umbrella, and a padded compartment for my laptop. I've had it since 2003 and it is still in great shape. It also has padded shoulder straps and whatnot. Things I've been known to take with me include:

Notebooks
Textbooks
Pens, pencils, highlighters
Notecards
Tape recorder
Calculator
Water bottle
Snack
Umbrella
Sweatshirt or rain jacket
Sunglasses
Wallet
Small brush
Chapstick
Makeup
Lotion
Car keys
Cell phone
Gum or breath mints
Sometimes my laptop (with cord and mouse)
Sometimes my gym clothes
Sometimes my ipod

When I have short days I just carry a totebag with my books and pencils and stuff.

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

Oh and I have one piece of advice regarding laptops: do not buy anything from HP.

I don't know what's good, I just know HP sucks and so does their customer service.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Notebooks, Textbooks, Folders with individual paper.(Usually old tests and syllabuses calculator, Batteries, money, IDcard, pens and pencils, and the occasional pop, and martial arts uniform when I have class.

 

[boyscoutgirl]

I carry my textbooks, a three-ring binder that I have papers from the class divided up by tabs, either a notebook or loose-leaf paper in the binder for notes, a pencil pouch that has pens, pencils, a mini stapler, and highlighter, and a three-hole punch so I can punch papers to put directly in my notebook. I also usually have a water bottle and maybe a snack, depending on when the class is, the teacher's rules, etc.

 

[littlemrs]

Books, notebooks, three ring binder, my planner (this thing never leaves my side), pens, pencils, highlighters, my student ID, change, gum, and a sweater because it's either too cold or too hot in all my classes.

 

[explodingboy]

Backpack is a SwissGear, chosen for its size and being cheap lasted me a year so far without any major falling apart issues (I'm pretty hard on bags so this is my longest surviving school bag) as to its contents it depends on the days schedule but a good idea would be:

-books for relevant class, extra if its a quiet day and I plan to study.
-folder with A4 lined paper for notes and everything else
-LOTS of pencils and pens there is probably around 4 packs of pencils loose in my bag
-water bottle, refilling at the drink fountains saves money and time
-bike pump, puncture repair kit I take my bag when cycling too
-calculator and other maths accessories
-3 or 4 packets of Ramen feeding either me when I forget to make food or friends who forget.
-cough sweets I Love Menthol.
-Mp3 player for travel entertainment
-laptop when I plan to use it
-wallet/checkbook
-extra headphones
-mobile phone
-first aid bits
-stones/brick for ballast (I seriously hate my bag getting too light)

 

[The Julikenz]

I am generally going from work, so I'm taking everything that would normally be in my handbag (keys, wallet, phone, chap sticks/hair elastics and things like that, ipod, book, jacket, umbrella, food, water bottle etc) plus:

- A display folder for each class
- A4 lined paper with red margins
- 1 X blue pen, 1 X red pen
- A 'workbook' of class lessons if the class includes one

And that's all. I never cart my textbooks around unless I haven't done the readings, and even then I'm not inclined to take any more than I need due to a back injury = need to carry minimal.

I usually have a crumpler bag with me, they are specifically designed to be durable and have a lifetime guarantee for rip/tear, some are made specifically for laptops and cameras. 1 <3 Crumpler!

 

[The Julikenz]

Oh and I have one piece of advice regarding laptops: do not buy anything from HP.

I don't know what's good, I just know HP sucks and so does their customer service.

I've had quite the opposite experience. My first laptop was a HP, and it was the a highly faithful companion for opver 4 years. It's still perfectly good now, except the OS is older and the memmory isn't big enough to upgrade. My PC is also a hp, and minus some virus problems as a result of me not properly installing the anti-virus protection, it's also been durable.

If I were to get a new lappy, I would definitely get a Mac though.

 

[snoopyloopysk8a]

usually my textbooks, a ring binder or two or something else to store loose leaf papers, power cord for my laptop. i carry my laptop in my hand.

 

[Malachi425]

usually my laptop, notebooks and of course my TI-89! haha engineering students....I have an HP now, it was required by our school to get. I like it, i wish it was a mac, but ill deal with an HP a little longer....