Messenger Bag vs. Backpack in Vet School

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idahoequestrian

idahoequestrian

WSU CVM c/o 2015!
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Hi everyone! This may be a simple question, but I was wondering if some current vet students could give all of us new c/o 2015ers a clue on what to use to carry our stuff in/how much we'll be taking to class each day/recommendations, etc. Thanks so much!
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I use a backpack. I don't like having everything on one shoulder. It's just not comfortable for me. I bring my laptop and a couple books depending on what classes I have that day.
 
Think it's gonna depend on what school you go to and what you do to study what you carry around all day. I actually end up with a LOT of stuff some days if I have an upcoming exam in a class that I use a book to study with, because I tend to find remote places to study where I can't just leave the books. At UC Davis we have lockers, but only really useful for lab things, clothes and if I'm studying actually on the vet med campus.

That said, I have a Chrome Citizen that I carry around with my laptop and most other everyday things in it, and I just usually end up with a canvas tote with any other stuff I need for that particular day. Mine's black and yellow though. :meanie:

It's pricey but totally waterproof and I can verify - indestructible. If I of all people have not yet destroyed it after 3 years, it has earned that title. It's definitely the best thing for cycling, which I do on days where I DON'T have a whole bunch of other stuff to carry with me. It's really quite comfortable, and the way it sits the weight is distributed on your back rather than your shoulder even though it only goes over one shoulder..
 
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I use a laptop messenger bag because I only really need to bring my tablet and its power cord to class. It works pretty well aside from not being able to stash tons of other stuff in it (like extra shoes or lunch boxes), but we get lockers so that's not a problem once I'm in the building.
 
I'd say don't buy anything new/fancy just yet. At most schools, you start getting some nifty little swag right off the bat - our first day, we all had nice backpacks courtesy of Hill's waiting for us. I don't know if all schools get a backpack, but I think many do. It's a pretty sturdy pack with padded laptop sleeve and probably 80% of our students carry those around. I still use my Northface Recon backpack just cause I'm more comfortable with it and it probably holds a tad more, but the Hill's one would have been fine for me, too, I just keep it as a backup backback.

I definitely prefer the backpack over a shoulder bag, which I used for a lot of undergrad. I try to keep my load pretty light, but I pretty much always have to have my laptop, then you put like even just two books in there and it's way more heavy than I would want hanging off one shoulder. I'm sure I'll be crippled enough by the time I get through vet school, so if I can at least keep my heavy load centered on my back I might be a little better off!
 
lunajett said:
I'd say don't buy anything new/fancy just yet. At most schools, you start getting some nifty little swag right off the bat - our first day, we all had nice backpacks courtesy of Hill's waiting for us. I don't know if all schools get a backpack, but I think many do. It's a pretty sturdy pack with padded laptop sleeve and probably 80% of our students carry those around. I still use my Northface Recon backpack just cause I'm more comfortable with it and it probably holds a tad more, but the Hill's one would have been fine for me, too, I just keep it as a backup backback.

I definitely prefer the backpack over a shoulder bag, which I used for a lot of undergrad. I try to keep my load pretty light, but I pretty much always have to have my laptop, then you put like even just two books in there and it's way more heavy than I would want hanging off one shoulder. I'm sure I'll be crippled enough by the time I get through vet school, so if I can at least keep my heavy load centered on my back I might be a little better off!
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I agree that you'll probably get a free backpack when you start, but don't count on it lasting very long...at least half of the people in my class's Hill's backpacks ripped after less than a semester and are no good anymore.
 
We got the Hills backpack too. I already had a better backpack, so I haven't used mine, but I know of a few people whose Hills backpacks have fallen apart. We don't have tablet PCs here, so you have to carry around a binder, notebook or whatever you use to take notes. I've used a backpack my whole life, so that's what I used, but I honestly think it doesn't make much of a difference. In the end, it's just going to be personal preference.
 
We don't get anything here. The UC system is basically doing a total crackdown on health professional students getting anything free from vendors. So I think our class is the first one not to get the Hills backpacks, etc.
 
No more food program makes me so sad. Free z/d for three cats was glorious 🙁

I have a backpack with a laptop sleeve in it. It holds what I carry around, so I can't complain.
 
nyanko said:
We don't get anything here. The UC system is basically doing a total crackdown on health professional students getting anything free from vendors. So I think our class is the first one not to get the Hills backpacks, etc.
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I can't say I don't enjoy the benefits of freebies (hard to turn down when you're digging yourself deep into debt as it is), but I honestly think that's a wiser system to have. I don't like anyone trying to buy my loyalty.

Back to the subject at hand, I tend to like backpacks. I usually bring my laptop, lunch, and some books --more than I like carrying in a messenger bag. As others have said, it depends on your schedule and personal preferences.
 
I really like that Chrome bag.

I'm currently in the market for a new bag.
Anyone have any other brand recommendations along those lines?

Maybe something that holds a laptop and some books etc.

Fancy, waterproof etc.
 
Crumpler.com

Started with their camera bags, moved on from there 😛
 
Hills gave us some backpacks during orientation that are quite nice. Very capacious with 4 pockets (one large, one biggish, one medium, and one small). That's what I've been using and will probably continue to do so.

Wish I could take the Hill's logo off but it's like, grafted on lol.
 
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lunajett said:
I'd say don't buy anything new/fancy just yet. At most schools, you start getting some nifty little swag right off the bat
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..... S.W.A.G.... stuff we all get?? The Office anyone? Sorry, I just read that and had a laugh
 
omg i am studying and i saw this thread and laughed out loud. very funny.

so i use a backpack and i have a bag for my laptop that can either be used with a shoulder strap by itself or put inside my back pack.

http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Code=TB0300 I loveee this bag! it has a hard outer layer plus soft layers and handles/strap. It took me forever to find something with all of these features and also fit into my back pack. I dont trust the plain foam cases and i did not want to give up my backpack for a messenger bag because they hurt my shoulder/back

i dont carry books with me ever because my back is really sensitive. i either study in the conference rooms in my apt with books or if i'm at the vet library i'll check out the text books from the library if i need them. When exams come up I will bring a binder with notes from that class with me. But on most days I just have my backpack with my laptop (with case) inside, and the random other stuff in my backpack like lunch, charger, colored pencils/markers for anatomy haha

edit: i forgot to mention, tom bihn will customize any bag on their site for the computer model and type you have. so i got a bag made to fit with my tablet+8 cell battery (odd shape)
 
I`m a rare breed. I`m currently in undergrad and one of the few females that use a backpack. Most carry use tote bags and purses (because yay... they`re omg brand name!). The lack of zippers drive me crazy, they aren`t waterproof and everything falls out when you knock them out. Few people use messenger bags. If a day comes around where I need to take a ton of stuff to school, they kill my shoulder.

Just use what`s comfortable for you. A backpack is a safe bet no matter how much or how little you have to take with you.
 
The vast majority of my fellow students carry back packs, and we have decent lockers. Most folks seem to carry a binder with a day or weeks worth of notes, laptop, notebook, pens/pencils, NSAIDs, lunches, and water bottles.

I carry a hybrid.... it slings diagnally across my body. I carry a tablet laptop, ipad, and small notebooks. I do carry a sepearte lunch bag/water bottle.

I used the hill's back first semester, then it started to deteriorate, but many of my classmates are still using theirs (I'm hard on bags.)
 
scarcelyheard said:
I`m a rare breed. I`m currently in undergrad and one of the few females that use a backpack. Most carry use tote bags and purses (because yay... they`re omg brand name!).
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Ha ha! I feel the same way. I use a backpack, and I always feel like some weirdo. I swear I hear some girls say" OMG Look at that freak! Doesn't she know that backpacks are so passe!" Okay,well excuse me but I'd rather not carry a tiny tote, have every hair in place, wearing a club outfit and teetering in stilettos on snow and ice! Humph!🙄

I'm lucky if I wash my hair before coming to class. Well, we'll be the ones that aren't hunched over in 20 years, unlike some fashionistas on campus...😛
 
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Omg, the NURSING students... most of them look like Barbies. With their porn star bumps, nose piercings and fake nails... I cannot see them cleaning up vomit or pee ever.

hehe.

I feel like a freak too.

I already have a problem with my back. The last thing I need is to aggravate it by wearing an improper backpack.
 
We also got the free Hill's backpack during orientation, but I don't use mine. I have a Kelty backpack that I take to class--it's lasted throughout undergrad and still looks great. Usually I take my laptop (finally got a smaller one!) and a couple of notebooks. The only textbooks I ever take are my parasitology one on days that I have lab, and my anatomy lab book. We also have lockers that are handy to stash lab coats, boots, dissection kits, etc. in.
 
At Mississippi State we get our own cubicle/desk where you can keep all your books and folders. It's just next door to our classroom so a lot of people dont need to take a backpack to class. They just grab what they need and can run back to their desk between classes. I carry a backpack just because I like to have all my pens, calculator, sticky notes etc with me. I think either a shoulder bag or backpack is great... its personal preference
 
When we visited MS last winter, I was so jealous of your cubicles!
 
No joke it was one of the things that made me like MSU so much... I know that is a really stupid reason, but it is soooo nice having a place to study and store your stuff and decorate to make it your own. Makes the school feel like home instead of just a building you go to when you take classes
 
A cubicle??? That's brilliant.

It depends on what I have for the day on what I use...i change it up. No one uses laptops in class, so if I only have a few lectures, I take my little leather bag that i love, love http://www.scaramangashop.co.uk/fas...-bags/small-wide-leather-satchel/prod_14.html. It's perfect for a notebook and my pre-printed notes for the lectures.

If I have anatomy dissection and need to take my camera, dissection book, etc., I use a backpack. We have lockers which I use for my lab coat.
 
Idahoequestrian-
We do get the Hill's backpacks at WSU, so that's definitely an option as long as you don't mind being a walking advertisement 🙂 A good portion of our class uses them. You also will have a locker in Mccoy Hall for anatomy and a smaller one in Bustad for your microscope, so if you ever have a day where you have a ton of stuff to carry around you can stash things in one of them and switch out at lunch or whatever. I personally use a backpack, but a lot of classmates use messenger bags which works fine too. Whichever you prefer!
 
I can't believe no one here has mentioned Timbuk2. (Or maybe someone has and I just can't read.)

I have the small messenger and the medium tote and I LOVE both. I've had them for about 4 and 3 yrs respectively and they show only a little cosmetic wear and tear. They are both roomy enough for my laptop (13") plus charger plus wallet plus notebook, plus phone, pens, a sweater, etc with room to spare. Plus they are waterproof. Even on the most horrible rainy days my stuff stays bone dry. I spend a lot of time walking outside so this last part is really important to me. I think they even come with the padded shoulder strap now.

AND...they're really pretty. They come in any color imaginable, you can design them yourself. They're a little cheaper in the pre-made color combos. Or if you really don't care too much about color (like me) there are a lot of sites on the internet selling them for sale.
 
luplodw said:
At Mississippi State we get our own cubicle/desk where you can keep all your books and folders. It's just next door to our classroom so a lot of people dont need to take a backpack to class. They just grab what they need and can run back to their desk between classes. I carry a backpack just because I like to have all my pens, calculator, sticky notes etc with me. I think either a shoulder bag or backpack is great... its personal preference
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UMN has a similar set-up, at least for first-year students. Cubicle/desk type of arrangement with storage space just a few steps down the hall from the classroom. It actually looked really darn convenient.
 
LetItSnow said:
UMN has a similar set-up, at least for first-year students. Cubicle/desk type of arrangement with storage space just a few steps down the hall from the classroom. It actually looked really darn convenient.
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There's also this kind of set-up at KSU, it was a really nice homey place. I liked it a lot.
 
laitmanvet said:
I can't believe no one here has mentioned Timbuk2. (Or maybe someone has and I just can't read.)

I have the small messenger and the medium tote and I LOVE both. I've had them for about 4 and 3 yrs respectively and they show only a little cosmetic wear and tear. They are both roomy enough for my laptop (13") plus charger plus wallet plus notebook, plus phone, pens, a sweater, etc with room to spare. Plus they are waterproof. Even on the most horrible rainy days my stuff stays bone dry. I spend a lot of time walking outside so this last part is really important to me. I think they even come with the padded shoulder strap now.

AND...they're really pretty. They come in any color imaginable, you can design them yourself. They're a little cheaper in the pre-made color combos. Or if you really don't care too much about color (like me) there are a lot of sites on the internet selling them for sale.
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Agreed! I can vouch for their backpacks too. I got one at the beginning of undergrad and I still have it. I didn't carry it everyday, but it has definitely seen some use and it's in great shape. I plan on taking it with me to vet school! 🙂 I got one with a special laptop section so it's very convenient for carrying everything.
 
I just wanted to mention how much the title of this thread made me smile and laugh. I love it.

My Hill's bag broke (got a hole ripped through the bottom) within a couple weeks. Up until about 2 weeks ago I was using my old backpack from high school and undergrad but it finally started to tear so currently I am actually using a messenger (partly because it was free - a gift - but also I like it). It depends a lot on how much you need and want to carry around. My backpack could hold a lot more stuff than my messenger bag can. That can be both a good and a bad thing.
 
I have a horrible back (several riding falls, I guess I should have learned how to hold on tighter 😛 🙄) so messenger bags are simply not an option. Many backpacks aren't either. I'm currently with Northface using their Borealis Women's daypack (it's a shorter bag designed for women, good for me because my torso is also proportionally short). I like the size and it's good on my back--not perfect, but it hurts a lot less than others I've tried.
 
My Hill's backpack is still alive and kickin' in 3rd year!

It's got this hole I've been keeping my eye on. I think we're going to make it all the way through to clinics with this thing! Yeah!!
 
So kinda off topic, but I'm totally bummed about the food program going away at the UC's. 🙁 I was really looking forward to getting food for the kitties. My loyalty isn't bought so easily that some bags of food would have swayed me. 🙁 *sigh*
 
lailanni said:
My Hill's backpack is still alive and kickin' in 3rd year!

It's got this hole I've been keeping my eye on. I think we're going to make it all the way through to clinics with this thing! Yeah!!
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Haha! Glad I'm not the only one! I JUST spotted the first hole in my Hill's backpack, and I'm watching it carefully and trying not to stress it so that I don't have to do the unthinkable and purchase a new backpack for the first time in 7 years. My plans were almost ruined the other day when I won a free (and HEAVY) textbook by surprise that I wasn't expecting to carry around, but we made it! If this bag makes it all the way to clinics with me, I may set up a shrine for it.
 
Some of you may call me silly, but I'm a big Vera Bradley fan (http://www.verabradley.com/category...and&siteID=qBNKlhsBsB4-oF4tTFPZdOEzIO3CEuhakw) and I LOVE her backpacks. I've got a little one now, but I may get a bigger one in the same pattern. She's also got bigger shoulder bags for laptop + some notebooks if that's your style. I like the backpacks for school, but I also have a purse haha. I'm a loser, yes, but I can look cute while doing it! The backpacks also have some good padding on the back and I feel pretty safe with my laptop in it, that it won't be broken or anything.
 
Dsmoody23 said:
I'm currently in the market for a new bag.
Anyone have any other brand recommendations along those lines?

Maybe something that holds a laptop and some books etc.

Fancy, waterproof etc.
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I currently use a Targus bag: http://www.targus.com

Got it free when I was still a programmer and my company expected me to take my laptop home with me every night. The laptop pocket is well-designed. Rugged, waterproof, and lots of pockets for stuff. The back and straps are very well-padded. After 5 years of heavy use it looks brand new.

Not super stylish, but gets the job done very well.
 
GreenMouse said:
I currently use a Targus bag: http://www.targus.com

Got it free when I was still a programmer and my company expected me to take my laptop home with me every night. The laptop pocket is well-designed. Rugged, waterproof, and lots of pockets for stuff. The back and straps are very well-padded. After 5 years of heavy use it looks brand new.

Not super stylish, but gets the job done very well.
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I've got a Targus as well. Mine's a gray version of this one that I picked up at Walmart for about $20. It's definitely sturdy and gets the job done!

And all you people whose Hill's backpacks are still alive... I'm slightly jealous. All the zippers in mine split last year 🙁
 
AngSchmange said:
Some of you may call me silly, but I'm a big Vera Bradley fan (http://www.verabradley.com/category...and&siteID=qBNKlhsBsB4-oF4tTFPZdOEzIO3CEuhakw) and I LOVE her backpacks. I've got a little one now, but I may get a bigger one in the same pattern. She's also got bigger shoulder bags for laptop + some notebooks if that's your style. I like the backpacks for school, but I also have a purse haha. I'm a loser, yes, but I can look cute while doing it! The backpacks also have some good padding on the back and I feel pretty safe with my laptop in it, that it won't be broken or anything.
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Hey, there's nothing wrong with wanting to look good! Though there is something wrong with the harm that is surely coming to my bank account because of your suggestion... 😛
 
lareinesoleil said:
Obviously I haven't started Vet School yet, but this backpack got me through high school and college. It can withstand a lot.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62852?feat=816-CL1
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you forgot to mention llbeans lifetime guarentee! they actually stay true to this. i had a backpack for 3 years, the zipper got messed up and i took it in and they looked at it, then gave me the same bag brand new!!!
 
BlacKAT33 said:
you forgot to mention llbeans lifetime guarentee! they actually stay true to this. i had a backpack for 3 years, the zipper got messed up and i took it in and they looked at it, then gave me the same bag brand new!!!
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The bottom of my backpack is starting to develop holes in it after 4 years of use. I think I might invest in one of the llbean ones... lifetime guarentee for $40??? Heck yes.
 
lunajett said:
I still use my Northface Recon backpack just cause I'm more comfortable with it and it probably holds a tad more, but the Hill's one would have been fine for me, too, I just keep it as a backup backback.
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👍

I picked one up on sale at Marshall's a couple of years ago, and it appears to be pretty indestructible... I inadvertently doused the bottom of it in toilet bowl cleaner (active ingredient: hydrochloric acid) last year, and it's still going strong and looks like new, save for a little minor acid-related discoloration on the buckle that took a direct hit. :laugh:
 
BlacKAT33 said:
you forgot to mention llbeans lifetime guarentee! they actually stay true to this. i had a backpack for 3 years, the zipper got messed up and i took it in and they looked at it, then gave me the same bag brand new!!!
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ll bean is the best. i just this past week sent out my messenger bag for repairs and i got it almost 2 years ago. i emailed customer service and they told me "send it to us, we'll fix it or replace it, no problem!"

i already miss it and hope it comes back soon! this is the best school bag i've ever owned: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62858?feat=63245-ppxs&dds=y . it's huge inside!
 
Before purchasing backpack for school ..you should remember some points like...While the size issue may seem over the top, excess weight in school bags contributes to back and neck strain in children. Children should not carry any more than 10% of their body weight on their back, so think about how big a bag they actually need. The straps on a school bag should be wide, padded and adjustable, so that the bag's weight can be correctly distributed on your child’s back. Ideally the main weight should rest against the curve of their back, and there should be a tummy strap to support the weight.
 
lol I cannot imagine cramming all my stuff into/lugging around a messenger bag. I will not be found without a huge water bottle, laptop, charger, books, more spirals than truly necessary, jacket, calculator, ETC. I'm a chronic over-packer. It took only one semester for me to destroy the free backpack I got at the start of undergrad.

But I guess it's up to you!
 
I have been rocking a Chrome Metropolitan (the large version of the Chrome bag mentioned earlier) for at least 7 years now and it's still tough as nails. Water-proof lining, spacious on the inside, multiple pockets, and I find it a lot more comfortable than a regular two-strap backpack. However, I just noticed on the website that the prices have gone up a lot in the past couple of years.
 
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