FaithManor Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 And what brands? The backpack ds was going to use (rolling cart is much harder on days when he is using a cane) turns out to not have enough support for the weight of his books. Since he's a commuter student, he either takes everything with him, or goes back and forth to the car to fetch what he needs. I am really not certain how this is going to work out in bad weather. We may need to take them up on the use of a golf cart. His disability is such that he is eligible for that. The German text book is the killer! Man, that thing could be a lethal weapon, LOL! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Backpack. DD has Deuter which she had since 6th grade and it's holding up beautifully. Rolling cart would be a pain with stairs and snow in winter. He should ask his instructors for which classes it is absolutely essential to bring the physical textbook. And he should look into obtaining pdfs of his books. PSA: if he has a disability that does not allow him to carry books easily, the Disability Office of the college has to provide his books in an alternate format per ADA. It would be the school's responsibility to provide the books in electronic form. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Both of mine use JanSport backpacks. Youngest's is one that can be rolled or carried, but he always carries it. He has some back issues (mild scoliosis and spondylolisthesis) and is supposed to avoid too much weight lifting. So I wanted to get him a rolling one just in case. But so far he hasn't had any issues. (He's taking a full college load through his early college high school program, so I figured he counted for the purposes of this question. ;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 backpacks-Eddie Bauer I would take them up on the golf cart. There is a reason it is offered to him. I would also look into digital formatting so that he can get away with only carrying a itsy computer to class instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 My kids don't take all of their books to class, so they have been able to get by with their Eddie Bauer backpacks that I got them in high school. I would look into getting textbooks electronically for classroom use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Backpack - Jansport. She's been using it for the last 3 years through dual enrollment and now starting college. It appears to still be in perfect condition. I agree with the previous posters. He should definitely ask his instructors if it is necessary to bring the text to every class. DD used to carry every book to every class but is now asking and can usually leave about half of them at home. The text is often used only outside of class for reading/homework problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Older two have Jansports. Youngest has an LLBean. Youngest takes only the books he needs and has the reist on his ipad just in case. Both brands are large capacity and have held up well under much wear and tear. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I forgot to get a new backpack. Saturdays are the worst. He needs both of his comp sci books, neither of which are light by any stretch, plus his laptop and other supplies as well as packed lunch. The backpack he has now does not look like it is going to be good for this. As for the golf cart, I am trying not to be a hovering mother. He wants so badly to be "normal" and since he will have bad arthritis in the leg by the time he is in his mid-thirties, he wants to remain as active as he can as long as he can. Oh, that reminds me, he needs to pack his swim gear. He is going to swim every day during the generous open swim hours which will be very good for his leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Look for textbooks that come loose-leaf, and carry a binder with just the chapter you're currently using in class. DD has a hiker's backpack from REI for the necessary back support. http://www.rei.com/product/866153/gregory-j38-pack-womens Great brand, but it was definitely spendy. The salesperson in REI was a yoga teacher, so we know this one aligned well with her spine. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 If you're buying books, you could just cut out the chapters needed for the week. I do that with my French book. It could be cheaper in the long run vs risk of further injury. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 DS uses an LL Bean backpack. It doubles as his day pack for hikes and camping trips and is quite sturdy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I just had a thought. Are there sport cases that he could use instead? Cases designed for baseball? Lacrosse? or tennis? Hmm...I might go look. Edited: There are. Quite a selection, too. I googled 'rolling sport bags". It looks like the prices start at $70. Martin sports has a baseball bag that can roll or be used as a backpack. It has multiple compartments including a vented pocket for shoes or damp swim suits. I hope you can find something suitable for your DS.https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=rolling+sport+bags&tbm=shop&spd=2071491577066729711 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 My dd uses a backpack. I love the help regentrude gave. I hope he can get what he needs and soon. Bless him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 If you're buying books, you could just cut out the chapters needed for the week. I do that with my French book. It could be cheaper in the long run vs risk of further injury. After slicing out the chapters, you could also run them through a scanner (look for one with OCR so that you can search the images) or have the book rebound into smaller chunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 If any of his books are paperback, it's easy and cheap to have a print shop slice off the spine and make it loose leaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredHSmom Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 My daughter commutes to college too and her school has lockers in the student center that can be rented by the semester. They are just like the ones used in high school. She rents one to keep her excess stuff in. The gym may have lockers as well and if he is going to swim each day he could potentially use a locker at the gym. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 And what brands? The backpack ds was going to use (rolling cart is much harder on days when he is using a cane) turns out to not have enough support for the weight of his books. Since he's a commuter student, he either takes everything with him, or goes back and forth to the car to fetch what he needs. I am really not certain how this is going to work out in bad weather. We may need to take them up on the use of a golf cart. His disability is such that he is eligible for that. The German text book is the killer! Man, that thing could be a lethal weapon, LOL! We've liked the Jansport Big Student backpack. It's the biggest backpack I've been able to find that is designed for books (rather than hiking). It holds far more than most school-oriented backpacks, because it's much wider. That said, a backpack with an internal frame, a sternum strap, compression straps, and a serious waist belt does a much better job of distributing the load properly. I don't know if they make these in a size/shape that would work for textbooks. We've taken a different approach for our dc in bricks-and-mortar high school. They have a one hour, two-bus commute each way, and sometimes go to another school for extracurriculars before coming home. That's a lot of textbook-lugging, and so many books are THICK nowadays. For the textbooks that aren't crazy expensive, I buy two books - one that stays at home, the other stays in the locker at school. That way, there aren't as many books that have to be carried back and forth. If your ds has a locker on campus near his classes, this approach might be part of your solution. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 My son's school has a commuter lounge with lockers, in a hall that is central on the campus. They've also got a kitchen, and places to study and such. Maybe there's something similiar on your son's campus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 After slicing out the chapters, you could also run them through a scanner (look for one with OCR so that you can search the images) or have the book rebound into smaller chunks. We just slide ours into page protectors, and then put a chapter or so each into a sturdy plastic folder. dd's uni has a special scanner meant for things like textbooks, so I'd check on this first if planning to scan (bc no need to slice up the book if you're scanning anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 We just slide ours into page protectors, and then put a chapter or so each into a sturdy plastic folder. Page protectors add a lot of weight, which would be a problem for this particular student's physical abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I forgot to get a new backpack. Saturdays are the worst. He needs both of his comp sci books, neither of which are light by any stretch, plus his laptop and other supplies as well as packed lunch. The backpack he has now does not look like it is going to be good for this. As for the golf cart, I am trying not to be a hovering mother. He wants so badly to be "normal" and since he will have bad arthritis in the leg by the time he is in his mid-thirties, he wants to remain as active as he can as long as he can. Oh, that reminds me, he needs to pack his swim gear. He is going to swim every day during the generous open swim hours which will be very good for his leg. DS has the largest LL Bean backpack, which has a computer sleeve section (he carries an ipad), large book capacity, and a bottom zip-around compartment where he carries his basketball shoes/athletic gear. This means he only needs one bag, but oh the aroma when he unzips it at the end of the day.... DD has the next size down Bean backpack, recommended for high schoolers, I think. She doesn't usually carry a computer or tablet but she has two PE classes on campus on the same day -- she goes dressed for swimming and changes into yoga clothes after, putting the wet swim stuff in a separate (waterproofed on the inside) bag. Your son could probably look at one of those "dry bags" that they sell for used cloth diapers. They keep in wet and smell remarkably well. I think you could treat either backpack to be waterproof. That hasn't been much of an issue here in fairly sunny California. Although if the El Nino happens this year (we pray), things could get wetter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I,ve benn thinking. Could he explain the problem to the library staff and ask if he could leave a pile of books behind their desk each day? He,d have to lug the books to the library and back, but during the day, he could lighten his load. Or maybe some other kind soul would find a corner for his books. Campus security desk? Admissions front desk? Tutoring center? Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I vote for the rolling bag, but you said that is a problem when he uses a cane. When DD was in the brick and mortar school that we loved (K4, K5 and First Grade) the young students used rolling bags. Ideal. I remember watching them racing from the school buses to the classrooms the mornings I was there for a volunteer group, with their rolling bags.. But, rolling bags are not "cool". The majority now seem to use backpacks, which is a good for the practice of Orthopedic doctors. When he uses the cane in one hand, can he pull the rolling bag behind him with the other hand? And yes, some of the textbooks are really heavy. The Biology textbook DD has for 9th grade weighs almost six pounds. GL to your DS on finding the best solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I,ve benn thinking. Could he explain the problem to the library staff and ask if he could leave a pile of books behind their desk each day? He,d have to lug the books to the library and back, but during the day, he could lighten his load. Or maybe some other kind soul would find a corner for his books. Campus security desk? Admissions front desk? Tutoring center? Nan Colleges with large commuter populations often have commuter student centers with study corners and lockers. Or, for this student, disability services could find him a location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Each department usually has extra texts of those used in classes. I would think that the disability office could arrange for an extra one to be available to him while he's in class and on campus so he can keep his own texts at home for homework and studying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Page protectors add a lot of weight, which would be a problem for this particular student's physical abilities. One chapter in page protectors and a folder is considerably less weight than the actual book, though. I don't see how one doesn't mangle loose pages if they aren't in page protectors and a folder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 They now have his scheduled within two building next door to each other with parking up close and a place to stash books. Yay! Now if he will just exercise some sense. He got involved in a conversation with classmates as he entered building A with a class on the fifth floor. They all wanted go use the stairs,and since he did not want ot leave the convo opted to go with them instead of using the elevator. Guess who was in quite a lot of pain an hour later???? One flight woud have been okay. Five? Grrrrr............ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 They now have his scheduled within two building next door to each other with parking up close and a place to stash books. Yay! Now if he will just exercise some sense. He got involved in a conversation with classmates as he entered building A with a class on the fifth floor. They all wanted go use the stairs,and since he did not want ot leave the convo opted to go with them instead of using the elevator. Guess who was in quite a lot of pain an hour later???? One flight woud have been okay. Five? Grrrrr............ :party: So glad that the school is working with him. Classes close to each other! Great parking! Place to stash! This sound like cause for a party! I have rheumatoid arthritis, so I get where he's coming from. I would have done the stairs too (and maybe paid for it later, although I'm doing pretty well right now.) As he gets to know people better, he will probably be more comfortable with saying, "My leg's bothering me today. Let's all take the elevator." It is harder when you first meet people and want to join in. I used to walk with a cane, so I know it can be difficult. I think that his friends will figure out how to help him, even if it means riding the elevator to finish a conversation. In a few weeks it will probably be "not a big deal". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 :party: So glad that the school is working with him. Classes close to each other! Great parking! Place to stash! This sound like cause for a party! I have rheumatoid arthritis, so I get where he's coming from. I would have done the stairs too (and maybe paid for it later, although I'm doing pretty well right now.) As he gets to know people better, he will probably be more comfortable with saying, "My leg's bothering me today. Let's all take the elevator." It is harder when you first meet people and want to join in. I used to walk with a cane, so I know it can be difficult. I think that his friends will figure out how to help him, even if it means riding the elevator to finish a conversation. In a few weeks it will probably be "not a big deal". I am so sorry that you have to deal with that, but very thankful for the encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 One idea for him, photocopy the chapters he will be using. Maybe at first just the next month's worth. I used to do that by going to a office supply store with cheap copies. I don't think I ever couldn't fit both pages of text into a legal size copy. Then put them in the binder with the notes. It was handy to have my 'textbooks' with me for those waiting moments throughout the day. You can get a lot done with 5 minutes here and there. If I was really struggling with a concept I'd also sometimes fold a textbook page or two and put in my pocket until I got the concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Follow on to my previous comment in this thread. I strongly believe Rolling Carts are the way to go, to avoid injury, but they are not "cool". Yesterday, after a delay, we signed DD up for her 9th grade courses. I had all of the books we have purchased here on my Workstation, to verify that we had the correct books, before we signed up for the courses and paid for them.. I had the books in two (2) stacks. Either stack weighed FAR more than I think anyone who is not in the U.S. Military should be carrying in a backpack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Follow on to my previous comment in this thread. I strongly believe Rolling Carts are the way to go, to avoid injury, but they are not "cool". Yesterday, after a delay, we signed DD up for her 9th grade courses. I had all of the books we have purchased here on my Workstation, to verify that we had the correct books, before we signed up for the courses and paid for them.. I had the books in two (2) stacks. Either stack weighed FAR more than I think anyone who is not in the U.S. Military should be carrying in a backpack. I agree! I know some little kids in elementary school carrying 15-20 lbs. on their backs and frankly, I think it is very bad for them. The local ps's do not allow rolling carts because they crowd the hallway and other students might not be looking and trip. Sigh...then stop sending home hardcover textbooks for 3rd graders every day!!!! GRRRR.... He has agreed to a rolling cart. The backpack we bought is very roomy, but dh found a cart that he can strap his bag too, and he said there is room in every class for him to park his cart. He is finding out today if there are lockers to rent in the student center so he can stash his supplies for his Thursday student Bible study and dry swim gear, a change of clothes, etc. and not have to keep them in the car. The walk to the student center is convenient and easy vs. for some of his classes making it back to the parking lot where he parked in the morning for his first class of the day. I think it will work out. Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!! I really appreciate it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Backpacks only. Their classes are timed so that they can leave books at home and just take what they need for that particular day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 He probably wouldn't accept it, but I actually used a wheeled cart that was also a walker, even though I don't usually need a cane or other support in grad school to haul my luggable computer (since I had permission to type), my books, tape recorder, and sometimes portable printer if I needed to write an essay exam. It was a lot more durable and easy to manage-and also had a flip down seat that I could use if needed-and, perhaps more importantly, was more visibly a sign of disability. I understand wanting not to stand out-but sometimes, you need to accept help, and it's easier when it's offered instead of always having to ask for it when you look "normal". Being able to walk through a day is one thing. Being able to walk and haul all your stuff is something else. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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