rolling backpacks: you are not a commuting executive

[justin gosling]

Have you ever been behind a group of students as they are about to ascend a staircase and just before they head up someone stops to lower the retractable handle of their rolling backpack and you stub your toe? Well, it's happened to me enough times that I'm officially calling to end the law student's infatuation with the rolling backpack. Not only is a rolling backpack an inconvenience for fellow students, but you look just plain silly carting around carry-on baggage.  Rolling backpacks take up the whole aisle behind classroom seats and really bring down our collective street cred. Seriously.

I had a conversation with two rolly backpack users yesterday and asked them about their choice in book carrying devices, and I must say the conversation was shocking.

The first person complained that their school materials were too heavy for a conventional backpack, especially with their laptop. Humm, maybe you shouldn't have purchased a 20" laptop that weighs more than a Christmas ham.

I didn't ask if they were bringing every casebook  with them every day, but it seems to me that they could use their locker to store casebooks that are not in use. That's why we have lockers, right? Use your locker.

The conversation with the second person was brief and they said that they could only fit two casebooks in their rolling backpack. Now, had you seen this rolling backpack you would have instantly called BS, because the wheeled device was massive. I would have guessed that just in the main compartment you could fit a half dozen casebooks, a lifetime supply of highlighters, lunch, a full suit, and a small child. Lord knows what they were carrying, but I really question the necessity of carrying so much stuff that you only have room for two casebooks.

There are a two exceptions where rolling backpacks are acceptable: pregnancy and surgery. And I've only seen one person at school with the surgery excuse. Come on law students, our profession isn't always well regarded among the general public and we don't need to make the case for them. Down with rolly backpacks, use your locker.

For some alternatives, and more complaints about rolling backpacks, give this a click.

Comments

just for the record (and I know this isn't a survey) but I hate, hate, hate rolling backpacks. There are even people that try to ride the Muni and AC transit buses with them, rolling them down the aisle and clipping poor old ladies as they roll by.

[Benson]

Amen!

[WL]

Just wait till you pass the bar... then you get to trade in your rolling backpack for a rolling briefcase.

[Maybe you need to be less clumsy and not hate on rollies]

I, for one, love my rolly bag and I refuse to stop using it. It's uber-cute and makes my walk to and from campus much easier, especially on days where I need to bring extra study aids or papers to class. Sometimes I am walking with it and people just get in my way, and yes, some toes get run over. I always apologize if I notice and I never do it on purpose. But come on--how often have you been bumped in to by someone without a rolly bag? It happens. Get over it. I love my rolly bag and it's not going anywhere--except back to campus!

[allison]

we'll be laughing when you have a bad back and we don't. I don't care how geeky your not stopping me and my rolling bag.

[steph]

This is hilarious, every lawyer in training blog I read about what to carry books in laments the rolling bag, yet every medical student/nursing student site I read talks about how great they are. Guess the young legal set are living the dream of one day making enough money to pay for the chiropractor and the massage therapist after the co-pays run out. As for me, rolling bag all the way!

[Maleah]

Hi guys. At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote.
I am from Guinea-Bissau and learning to write in English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: "She is rather then to stop, but is only removed to be a many and ionic court."

Thanks :-(. Maleah.

[Rolling briefcase]

This is really one of the those posts that I like to read!

[tiffany]

I think this is a stupid article. i am a nursing student and my books are extremly heavy trying to carry them in a traditional backpack is torture and i dang near fall over when i try to carry them in a traditional backpack. not to mention it is extremly damaging to your back. so to heck with that article and as for getting your toes stubbed dont freakin walk so close to other people and you wont get them stubbed. oh and i hope all of you who carry those heavy books in a traditional backpack dont have horrible back problems when you get older. while imma be 62 and still going joggin ya'll gon be 42 and walking hunched over with arthritis lol lmao lol...HAVE FUN WITH THAT LOL LMAOLOLLMAO

[sourceoutdoor]

I love this rolling bag. It is cute one and make my walk comfortable in whole traveling. It is much easier to hold them.

[Scooby Doo Backpacks]

Yeah the rolling back backpacks are cool and convenient, but there a pain if on of the wheels breaks, or its running and your roll it over a huge puddle. So it has its draw backs.

Overall I much prefer the regular two string backpack.

Thanks,
Chris

[generic viagra]

It is really annoying when this happen, I once almost hit a kid for doing this, I was with my pregnant wife, and I immediately sense danger for her and the bay.

[Kim]

I'm a nursing student and our books are massive. We don't haven lockers and standard backpacks can't handle the load. I prefer to ruin my back while working, not while attending school. Two textbooks, a lab book, two notebooks and a pen/highlighter bag is all I can get into my backpack. Thankfully I have a useless mesh pouch for my water and a small zip pocket for ID, money, keys and cell phone. This beast is hhheeeavy!!! Thank God for rolly backpacks! If you come up on a rolly backpacker, walk around or drop back. And stop whining.

[Caitie]

Used to to carry my books and schoolwork around in a cute big briefcase-style purse. Then I started nursing school, and had to purchase 24 books for the first semester alone. You can keep your snazzy briefcases and lockers (my college doesn't provide lockers), but you'll also have to deal with my nerdy rolly backpack for now.

[Trang]

Nowadays, there are options for people who go to law school. I, for one, am a part-time student attending classes in the evening. I work during the day and have to lug my laptop and books with me everywhere in order to efficiently study in my limited time. Lockers do me no good because I need my books. Give us a break- those books are heavy and I cover a lot of ground everyday. The rolling backpack or bag isnt an attempt to feel or act like an executive. I just dont want to have back problems in the future. Deal with it.

[KC]

I have to say that I am now in dire need of a rolly backpack due to my scoliosis and rotated hip, and I am only 25..... dont judge before you know the story behind the person. I am in nursing school as well and we do have a ton of books, notebooks, bring our lunches, clinical/lab equipment- this does NOT help my back by carring my body weight equivalent smashed in a high school shoulder backpack. So, sorry that the 2 people that you interviewed didnt have substantial reasons for you, but there are many others who have legitimate reasons for using them!