Hey everyone. So now that the beginning of the semester is only a month or so away, I’ve started to do a lot of college shopping. I’ve realized that I’m going to need a new backpack or bag for college, but am not sure what type I should get. I used totes all throughout middle school & high school, but I feel like more people use backpacks in college? Idk. I’m taking 17.5 credits my first semester as a freshman so I have a pretty busy schedule. All of my classes are right after each other too so I won’t have a lot of time to run back to my dorm and switch folders/books. This is why I’m leaning more towards just getting a backpack that will hold a lot of stuff.
I’ve heard great reviews about the Vera Bradley campus backpacks since they can last for a long time, and that would be good since the workload for nursing gets heavier as years pass by. Plus I’ll be carrying around my 13 inch Macbook pro to some classes too. Are there any other brands/bags I should check out though? What did you/your child use when in nursing school? I’m open to tote bag suggestions but only if the bag is big, comfortable, & has pockets.
I’d recommend against taking 17.5 credits for your first semester. it is a challenge to get adjusted to college college work and the college lifestyle without taking an excessive courseload your very first semester.
My daughter needs 128 credits to graduate, but she is taking an online community college class each summer to spread out the work.
Are the Vera Bradley backpacks water resistent? Even if you use an umbrella, the backpack could still get wet if your umbrella isn’t large enough to protect it. The Vera Bradley are all flowery and such but some of the colors are light and could easily get dirty. See if you can through it in the washing machine as needed. My daughter bought a backpack from ebags last year - www.ebags.com - they have a good selection and reasonably priced. The backpack was a JanSport with a laptop sleeve and plenty of extra compartments. It was easier to buy it on online rather than running all over town looking for one.
@Charliesch I know 17.5 is a lot, but 17 is the minimum for this semester (for nursing students). My advisor said not to worry though, because 2 of the classes (4 credits) are a freshman seminar & an “orientation experience” class. She said I would obviously get reading and writing in all my classes, but the only class I would have to really study for would be Anatomy. Idk how much of that is true, but either way I have to take the 17 credits. This semester is 17 credits, the next 3 semesters are 16 credits each, then 15, 16, 15, & finally the last semester is 12. That’s 124 credits in total. I’m going to look into taking summer classes though, in case I end up dropping a class.
@blueskyforever Some of them are water proof, and some are not. I’ll have to look into that because I definitely don’t want any of my stuff getting wet. Thank you for the heads up! Btw, are the jansport backpacks water proof? I think they’re cute too, so I’ll look into those as well. And yeah, I agree. Ordering online is definitely easier since most stores don’t have all of the patterns.
To be honest, any backpack OR tote will work. I know girls who bring big purses with their stuff, and I personally use my backpack. Don’t get sold on a brand name that’s popular among a group of people, just use what YOU think will work best for you. If you prefer totes, I think that’s the best option for you. I didn’t have to carry my textbooks to class often, so as long as you can fit all of your notebooks you’d need for the day in it then that’s perfect 
The only thing I’d say is don’t’ waste your money on any bag that’s not waterproof. Blueskies is right, if you’re carrying around a regular bag with your important notes, essay, electronics, etc in it, it could get ruined. I personally always thought that the Vera Bradley bags wear down quicker than bags that aren’t made of cloth, so I don’t know if that’s be worth the money since it’s an expensive brand, but plenty of people use them.
Anatomy is killer and absorbs a LOT of time, but if you’re other classes aren’t too bad you should be able to handle it, just make sure to stay ahead. That first semester it’s very easy to fall behind because of the excitement of everything new, so just be careful and you’ll be fine!
@SandyScrubs Thank you!! Yeah, I’m definitely going to look for a waterproof one now because I don’t want anything to get ruined. Lol and yeah, anatomy is a lot of memorizing D: I took it my senior year of high school and my teacher was tough, so I understand. I was planning on doing a lot once college started, but I think I’m gonna cut it down a bit. I’ll probably only do a few clubs and stay more focused on homework
I think she used the same Jansport bag she used in high school. And on lighter days, she had a tote. You may find you don’t need to haul everything with you. I don’t think the kid ever needed the anatomy book in lecture (just depends on your teacher) and you only need you lab manuals on lab days.
You do not need a pricey bag/backpack. You might even wait a few weeks after classes start to see what you’ll really use.
Just kind in mind that nursing books tend to be very heavy.