<p>So college is about to begin and I need a good bag. I will be commuting about an hour possibly more by bus. Since I have no dorm or car to store stuff everything needs to be with me. Any opinions on what kind of bag I should get? I do have a bad back. Thank you!</p>
<p>Wheelie backpack or briefcase?</p>
<p>Yep, but with wheels people will laugh at you behind your back. Not that those are the people you want to associate with anyways, but sometimes that can’t be helped.</p>
<p>My advice is to find something that’s big enough and comfortable (messenger or backpack, take your pick). Try before you buy if possible.
Make sure it’s heavy-duty enough to put on the floor and keep the contents clean and dry.</p>
<p>Look at office supply stores and department stores (I’ve heard good things about Swiss Gear and Case Logic).</p>
<p>Work out what you really need to take (for your back’s sake). If you can combine all your classes for one day into a single binder with dividers, perfect. Many classes won’t require you to bring the textbook to class.</p>
<p>And try to avoid bringing your laptop if it’s not absolutely necessary. Most campuses have general access labs, save your stuff to a flash drive or the cloud and you’ve lost 6lbs from your bag and the worry about damage/theft.</p>
<p>If you must bring a laptop, trywrapping it in a a trashbag to keep it dry instead of paying extra for a waterproof bag. </p>
<p>I’ve had back problems for most of my life and have had to deal with lugging huge textbooks since my Freshman year of high school – the backpacks that have given me the least grief and have been the sturdiest in terms of wear and tear are Eddie Bauer backpacks. I’ve bought two in the past three years (neither are broken, its just that the first one was white and I got dye on it in art class…) – I think one was about 100 dollars from the Eddie Bauer store while the other was about 30 at an Eddie Bauer outlet. (Just my luck that the more expensive one is the one that I ruin.)</p>
<p>I’m currently using the 30 dollar one for college and I’m commuting as well. I think it’s important to get a backpack with a lot of padding in the straps and the back – the Eddie Bauer ones have mesh on the backside to prevent your back from sweating too much. Also, I’d recommend getting a backpack that is a dark color. I’m going to be on a train and a bus, and neither are too pristine in the tidiness department, so there’s potentially a lot of situations where my bag will most likely come into contact with grime. That dirt shows up a lot more obvious on a neon yellow or white backpack, so invest in a black or grey one. </p>