# ¿What was the oddest thing you (ever) carry/ied your school books in? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096 "2001-01-15T05:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/1 "2001-01-15T05:49:17Z")
I’m asking this question for two reasons. Everyday at school I see 3 types of book carriers. The normal, back-straining backpack or the godawful rolling backpacks that look like luggage. The only other thing I see is a briefcase, because I am the only one who carries one at school. And the other reason is… I can’t be alone. There has to be other nutjobs like me around somewhere. So, basically I am wondering if there are any other people who just couldn’t resist going for something out of the norm, back in their school days. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/2 "2001-01-15T06:05:54Z")
I carried them in my arms, and when younger, a plastic grocery bag (I told you all I was white trash oh so long ago!). I usually carried them in a smallish gym bag, or a backpack. By my Junior year, I hardly carried them at all… hehehehe ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/3 "2001-01-15T15:07:17Z")
It wasn’t because I wanted to go for something out of the norm, but, rather because I was forced to - a multi-colored hand- crocheted (by my mother ) tote bag. ---
**Author:** ![Dylan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e95f7d/32.png) [@Dylan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dylan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/4 "2001-01-15T17:07:10Z")
in high school, I used a briefcase (I was the only one) in college, I used my 1975 big, orange Snoopy lunch box as a ‘purse’ and carry-all… ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/6 "2001-01-15T17:24:54Z")
I usually carry mine in my 4yr old backpack, which has the most character in the entire school. Duct tape is it’s saviour. Although, sometimes I use a Bosnian messanger bag backpack that looks really cool. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/7 "2001-01-15T19:13:22Z")
There was a short period of time during which I carried my things in a little, red wagon. This was in my junior year of high school. The next semester, it wasn’t convenient to leave it in the same teacher’s classroom before and after school. I didn’t want my stuff stolen, so I ditched it. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/8 "2001-01-15T19:19:12Z")
At one point in time I think I carried my stuff in a large plastic crate every now and then. I have no clue why, but it worked, annoying as a plastic crate is to carry around. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/9 "2001-01-15T21:20:44Z")
Up until about 3rd grade I used a book strap. I just thougth it was the coolest thing, Laura Ingalls Wilder was my idol then, I think that had someting to do with it. After that I used a denim bag that my mother made for me out of an old pair of jeans, she was really crafty with the sewing machine. In high school I had her make me a mini skirt out of wallpaper, and some other neat items. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/10 "2001-01-15T21:26:19Z")
But the oddest thing I ever carried to school was a belt consisting of several hundred rounds of blank ammunition, wrapped around my body (but under a sweater), just like the drawings of the Mexican banditos. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/11 "2001-01-15T21:31:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psycat90 \* > \*\*…In high school I had her make me a mini skirt out of wallpaper… \*\* Well, I have some special paste here and… (oops, hi **Demo** ) But seriously folks; In elementary school we had these pretty neat leather satchels that my mother brought back from Denmark for us. In high school I began using my grandfather’s WWI gas mask bag, so I guess that’s pretty unique. I still use one like it for a tote. ---
**Author:** ![Meleemancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Meleemancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meleemancer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/12 "2001-01-16T06:40:00Z")
Back in elementary school I was one of those weirdos with a rolling backpack. Never realized (or saw, of course) anyone else used them though, AFAIK I was the only wheeler (ah, those days before self-consciousness…) Got comments about what I could possibly be carrying in there to need to have wheels all the time. I switched to the standard conformist model in junior high and stuck with that through high school. When I started college I started using a satchel-type thingy, 'cause one of my friends in HS used one and I thought it looked cool. I’m still using one. I see a moderate amount (but still a definite minority) of them around campus now. On another note, has anyone seen those (relatively) new backpacks with just one shoulder strap and a fastening around the waist? What do you think of those? I don’t see them too frequently, but they’re definitely around. And one style that I just don’t get (only seen on HS-age females so far) is mini-backpacks. Just like the standard model, but about a third the size. Can’t quite see anything even vaguely notebook-sized fitting into one of those things; I guess it makes an interesting atatement or something? ---
**Author:** ![Kerrigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/49beb7/32.png) [@Kerrigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kerrigan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-oddest-thing-you-ever-carry-ied-your-school-books-in/50096/13 "2001-01-16T07:03:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mind gamer \* > \*\* > On another note, has anyone seen those (relatively) new backpacks with just one shoulder strap and a fastening around the waist? What do you think of those? I don’t see them too frequently, but they’re definitely around. And one style that I just don’t get (only seen on HS-age females so far) is mini-backpacks. Just like the standard model, but about a third the size. Can’t quite see anything even vaguely notebook-sized fitting into one of those things; I guess it makes an interesting atatement or something? > \*\* Baby backpacks? They’ve been around a while, girls don’t carry books or anything like that in them, but use it at a purse.