Books Are Heavy, So Here’s How to Carry Them
Written by Lauren Smyth
Backpacks. Briefcases. Tote bags. Roller bags. Laptop bags. Eye bags after pulling an all-nighter. The world is full of bags, and it’s important to choose the right one before heading to college. Your back and your study habits will thank you.
At Hillsdale College, students usually have to carry books and notebooks to class. Those are heavy by themselves, but then there’s the small stuff. The pencil case. The water bottle. The pre-lunch snack. The random object you promised your friend you’d let them borrow. The wallet. The keys. And so much more. Everything has to fit into your daily bag, or else you’ll find yourself running back and forth between the dormitories and campus, wasting time and getting out of breath. (We call it Hillsdale for a reason!)
Here’s a list of the most common options students choose for carrying daily supplies, with pros and cons for each.
Backpacks
Pros: Simple to carry, plenty of storage, lots of options
Cons: Encourages you to carry too much, can be hard on the back
If you like to study outside your dorm, or if you’re a science student with a shelf full of heavy textbooks, the classic backpack is probably the right choice for you. It will hold just about everything you need in a day, it’s perfect for air travel between college and home, and it (presumably) has lots of pockets for easy storage.
Backpacks are also the best choice for those who carry reusable water bottles. At Hillsdale, water bottle drinking fountains abound, so you shouldn’t need to buy single-use water bottles at the coffee shop. Unless you’re an athlete, it’s probably wise to invest in a slim bottle that fits easily in your bag, rather than one that requires fewer refills but has to be carried in-hand.
The pitfall of backpacks is in the name: Backs. If you’re prone to neck cramps, or if you’re the type of person who packs heavily when extra space is available, you may want to look elsewhere.
Messenger bag/briefcase
Pros: Easy to carry flat items like books and binders
Cons: Not much storage
Last year was going to be my year of the briefcase. I’d picked out a bag I loved, planned where everything would fit, and packed it up for class. Then I discovered that it had no place for three-ring binders or water bottles. I stopped carrying it, except as a supplement to my backpack.
When choosing a messenger bag, consider whether you’ll need to bring along any thick books, such as Statistics for Business and Economics or The Complete Works of Shakespeare. These don’t fit well into a flat messenger bag and would be more portable in a backpack.
On the other hand, messenger bags are perfect for those committed to traveling light. If all you bring to class is a tablet, stylus, and water bottle, a briefcase could be the perfect choice to save your spine—if you don’t make it too heavy—and look professional. (Don’t forget to make sure your professor allows digital notes in class.)
Totes
Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Not much storage, items fall out easily
Let’s face it: Tote bags are way more aesthetic than either of the preceding options. But they’re also one of the toughest choices on this list. At Hillsdale, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you won’t be able to fit all the books and other supplies you’ll need throughout the day in a tote bag. Also, since most totes can’t be fastened shut, you risk losing smaller items like keys and wallets.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring a tote to college. They’re perfect for early fall picnics, short jaunts to the local coffee shop, and trips to the grocery store. Just don’t try cramming a syllabus’s worth of textbooks into one.
If you do get a tote that you intend to carry books in, consider getting a tote made of a durable material like faux leather instead of canvas. That way, you won’t end up with a hole in the corner of your bag that lets your keys slip out. Plus, a faux leather tote is formal enough that you can carry it to work, interviews, and dinners.
Roller bags
Pros: Tons of storage, easy on the back
Cons: Stairs
Remember: Hillsdale. Elevators are available almost everywhere, but campus, classrooms, and the cafeteria are most easily accessible via stairs. Maybe you don’t mind picking up your roller bag every so often, but the point of a roller bag is that it rolls along a flat surface—and preferably not down a staircase with an unsuspecting classmate at the bottom.
A roller bag could still be a great choice if you need to carry several textbooks in the same day. Often, students aren’t required to bring these to class, but if you want to put in a long study session at the library after class, you’ll be bringing them anyway. Still, remember that you’ll likely only be doing this during midterms and finals season. On most occasions, it might be more practical to simply carry both a backpack and a tote bag.
Laptop bags
Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Almost no storage
Laptop bags are the ultra-light versions of messenger bags. They hold your laptop and…well, that’s about it. You might be able to squeeze a charger in, too, but only if you don’t have one of the bulky Microsoft Surface varieties.
It’s a good idea to keep your laptop in a flat case like a laptop bag to keep it from getting scratched. But this case should ideally go inside another bag so it’s not the only thing you bring to class. Thus, laptop bags, with their thick handles and sides, are probably not a good choice for college.
Bonus: Reusable grocery bags
Pros: Less plastic to throw out, way cuter than grocery store bags
Cons: None!
Kroger is about a 15-minute walk from campus. If you’re a frequent shopper, you may prefer to use your own bag rather than the plastic bags offered at the store. There’s less waste to shove into the trash can after each trip, and you’ll look both fancy and prepared with your brightly colored, reusable bags.
Somewhere on this list is a bag that will serve you well as you navigate Hillsdale’s campus. Remember, all you really need is a pencil, notebook, and an eagerness to learn. Those three things will carry you through your time at college and ensure you get the most out of your school experience.
As you’re preparing for a new year of college, don’t forget to check back at the Hillsdale College Student Stories Blog throughout the summer for packing lists, survival guides, and more!
Lauren Smyth, ’25, is an economics major and journalism minor. Outside of starting arguments in philosophy class, she enjoys curling up on a bench outdoors (sun, rain, or snow) to write novels or articles for her blog, www.laurensmythbooks.com.
Published in July 2023