The most shallow University question I've ever thought of!

[Lolli]

Personally, I always went the smaller bag and carrying the folder. Mainly beacuse it made me feel a bit more fashion- in that American college, carrying a stack of books kinda way.

A pain in the bum? Totally. But it does indeed look very cool.

[Oorki Galoorki]

im still yet to find my bag! i want one bag with a few different pockets but i want a one strap...i found one the other day but not sure isf i can justify $80 for it....

[feeb]

i always used a back pack with a few pockets to keep thing easy to get to, i also went for ease, convenience and comfort over fashion.

[HotI]

Don't take a shopping bag. It always looks funny when people are using them as a handbag, and definately not fashionable.

I am with the majority, go the big bag with a smaller bag inside to keep the stuff you need accessible.

[Nelle]

Big bag, and you can keep a smaller bag in the big bag, even a funky cloth zip up bag (hellooo etsy), for your purse and other stuff.

[AnyDream]

My advice - go to the very first conference you can wangle student attendance to get to in your chosen professional field. They hand out really groovy bags at ALL of them - I have 2 FANTASTIC satchels that have folder-sized spaces AND all the little pockets and zips for all the other sort of stuff you want to carry around. PLUS it's a conversation starter for any other students who've been to the conference as well.

GOOD LUCK on Monday!!!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Cheers all. Thoughts and replies much appreciated.

I'm driving this week and it's induction week, so I'm thinking small bag and carry the folder tomorrow. Then see if I need the big bag (with a small bag in it, great idea!).

I'm a small bag person. I did try a big bag and it just doesn't go with me. And I'm paranoid about backpacks being easy targets because I can't see it all the time. (Handbag on right side only!) I also don't have one big enough for a folder.

So my handbag will have in:
Purse
Make-up
Keys and keyring memory stick
Phone
Calculator
multicoloured pen, pencil, ruler, small highlighter
Hole puncher (for handouts)
Computer

If I need to take the textbook too I'll have to consider a big bag. Or even a big bag for a packed lunch. But I just hate big bags, even with pockets! Maybe big bag for when I'm on the train next week. Then I can put my nintendo in there too: I have that for playing on the train so I don't waste my computer battery for coursework (to do on the way home). Liebling will have to walk as that DS won't fit in any handbag any more. Hmm, maybe I can get a bag to fit a baby in, like a nasty yappy dog bag that seems to be in fashion with various even more shallow people than me.

Maybe when the course gets going I'll find I don't need my folder every day and can just use the computer. That would be good. And then I can take a small/medium satchel bag/bowling bag to carry everything and handouts just need folding once to fit in.

It's just lesson, lunch, lesson, home so I don't have to worry about carrying the folder around too much during the day.

AAAAAGH! And DH thinks I have enough bags. How can I have enough bags when I have this dilemma?

Next thing: clothes. Obviously funky boots, jeans, blouse and fitted jumper with my smart purple wool knee-length coat over it. But the jumper I want to wear didn't dry today! Have to hope it's ready for tomorrow. I get my photo taken for the whole "so the faculty know who you are" thing tomorrow so it's a tough decision. Perfect hair and make-up needed too. So stressful!

(And I know, soooo shallow!)