This time each year, all college students are getting ready for the new, exciting and promising college life. One of the hardest, but also the best and creating years of our lives.
September is officially the month that marks the start of the new academic year, but it’s also the time to get fully organized.
Back in my student days, l recall the anticipation of purchasing and organizing all of my necessities for the semester: stationary , new clothes and of course the long awaiting purchase of a new stylish college laptop bag.
Though it seemed as a pleasant experience l often had a hard time finding a suitable college bag as l was always encountering the same dilemma each year: either l would find a functional handbag that unfortunately would look pretty dull and boring stating that “ yes, l am only a school bag designed to carry some books and your laptop “ or on the other hand l would find a beautiful and stylish handbag that would fit my style but with absolutely no functionality to be used as a college bag.
Think about a common academic year: countless hours spent in the college, classrooms, in the library and on the campus. Most of the day you leave from your house in the morning and return late at night after studying for many hours in the library, working on a project, meeting with your classmates to work on an essay and maybe to have a quick lunch with your friends.
Why would l have to compromise and choose to buy a boring college bag? Would anyone go to a class dressed up inappropriate just for the sake of being comfortable? Plus the fact that there are plenty of clothes in the market that are both stylish and comfortable so that is definitely not an excuse. Furthermore, you can go to your college with many different outfits unlikely with the bag which will be one or two designs for the whole academic year. So, choosing the right bag for the college is really important as it will be your basic daily companion. After all, being a student doesn’t mean you have to get out of style. The choices that we make in our lives, from the most important ( like which college to attend to ) to the simpler ones are those that indicate our personality. It is not about fashion at all, it is all about feeling good with ourselves. And what could be better for our self-confidence than feeling good with our ourselves and our image?
So after many years as a student girl and now as a bag designer l can make a priority list of the features we need to look into when choosing a college bag, either it is a satchel bag or a backpack.
-A laptop compartment and/or large pockets ideal for A4 files and books. *Hint :The laptop compartment needs to be padded for the safety of your laptop and if there is extra room in your bag carry your charger with you as you never know how many hours will you spent in the library or to finish a project.
-A variety of large and small pockets are a necessity. Every item should have it’s pocket as you don’t want to waste time searching for a pen at the bottom of your bag. *Hint :Interior pen slots and a key fob are time savers. No more “where did l put my car keys?”
-Make sure your stationery can fit inside the pockets as they are easily creased when they are simply thrown in the bag.
-If you want to be very mindful of the bag you are choosing then pay great attention to the interior lining as it is more vulnerable of being damaged due to the daily pressure of the weight that it is carrying.. The interior materials used for the lining like the fabric and the zippers must be of good quality and the lining must be very good stitched with durable and strong seams .It is no coincidence that most of the times the handbags are damaged from the inside ( torn lining , ripped seams).
-As to which style of bag to choose from then definitely go for a backpack or a messenger satchel bag. *Hint : If you tend to carry heavy books and your laptop very often then a backpack is a better option as they equally share the weight on both shoulders.
-Convertible backpacks are the best choice ever. Carry your bag as a backpack when in college and classroom and convert it into a tote bag when taking a break for a lunch or coffee with friends. Stylish and practical!
-And at last the most important feature is of course the material of the bag. If you like to have many bags to change with your outfits and you don’t mind if they are damaged after one or two months of use then you can choose a vegan leather bag or even a cotton bag.
If you want to buy a college bag that will last for probably all your college years, then go for a canvas or genuine leather bag ( and if you have a budget for the next year you can enrich your collection). In general, investing in a good quality bag will save you money and time for sure. A good quality bag will pay for itself.
We all wish you a great, successful and creative academic year!
Sincerely,
Laroll Team
