College Student's Guide to Bags and Cases

By: Jackson Kaplan
First off, there are a few things I should say. This is my opinion. I believe that everything of value should be protected. These are also just suggestions. I would recommend getting as many of these cases or bags as your budget will allow. Also remember that you do not necessarily have to buy the top of the line bag or case. There are plenty of bags and cases that do not hurt the wallet as much.

The first type of bag/case I will discuss is for a laptop. I feel that most every college student now has a laptop computer. If not, feel free to skip ahead. I would recommend for laptop users on a budget, get a laptop case that hugs the laptop. These are usually neoprene "sleeves" and they should not be too pricey. If you have the money I also recommend an actual bag or carrying case of some kind. this way you can pout your laptop in the neoprene sleeve and then have a place to put it so that you can carry it around. Personally I did not have the money to buy a nice bag for it so I used an old backpack with the neoprene sleeve. This is a perfect solution for those of you who are "on a budget." Remember that you need to protect the laptop. Therefore if you cannot afford to get a sleeve, get just a bag of some kind. My roommate had a waterproof bag for his laptop that was pretty cheap. But again my First recommendation is a sleeve and a carrying case of any kind.

Price Range for Laptop cases/bags: $30 - $100
(These price ranges are from the minimum of what I said to the maximum.)

The second type of case I would recommend is one for your Camera. Camera bags and cases can get fairly pricey if you are not careful. First off I should discuss the types of camera bags. There are, of course, many types of camera bags. The first thing to make sure of is that you get a case or bag for the correct type of camera that you have.

First I will discuss point and shoot cameras. If you have a point and shoot camera, you will be getting a much different type of bag or case than if you have an SLR camera. If you have a point-and-shoot camera, i would recommend a simple camera carrying case. They should not be too expensive and they should keep your camera fairly protected. However, if you feel you need something a little more heavy duty, there are solid cases out there that have a hard shell. However, with the hard shell cases they can get a little more expensive.

Price Range for Point and Shoot Cameras: $20 - $45

Now for the SLR cameras. There are many different ways you can go with an SLR case/bag. If you are a person that has one lens and one camera body, I would highly recommend a simple case and a Protection System. The protection system I used to have was a simple rubbery case that went completely over the camera. You were still able to see the screen, and had complete control of all of the buttons. This is perfect for any camera, and for any level photographer. I would recommend this because of the occasional spill, or drop, or someone or something knocking into it. The next step would be if you are a person with multiple lenses. You first have to decide how much money you want to spend. Next decide what type of feel you like the best. If you are a person that enjoys the messenger style bag, they have plenty. The things you are going to want to make sure that you have are extra pockets, and a couple different compartments. The reason for this is that the more lenses you accumulate, you are more likely to start accumulating other things as well, like lens caps, memory cards, remotes, and other things. Another thing you want to make sure is that you are not overpaying. A lot of people pay more (even too much more) just for the brand name. You do not necessarily need a case that is coherent with your camera brand. For example, just because you have a Canon camera does not mean you need a Canon bag. However, with all of that being said, I would highly recommend a backpack type bag. Being a semi-pro photographer I have gone through every kind of bag from single camera bags, to fanny pack bags to belts to vests, and for regular shoots, I recommend backpacks over everything else. They tend to have the most pockets and they support the weight evenly.

Price Range for SLR cameras: $30 - $150

The next important feature is another optional piece of equipment: a GPS. Though a GPS is not an essential piece to the college puzzle, it does help. It is nice to have a GPS when you are in a new place, expected to be able to get around. If you are one of the many college students with a GPS then you should definitely get something to protect it. I would advise a hard shell case, especially in a college setting. When you are at home, not school, you are always more likely to be careful with your stuff. But, once you get to college and are living on your own, you are more likely to be rushing. This is the reason i suggest a hard shell case. You should be able to find one for fairly cheap, and it is a great idea.

Price Range: $15 - $50

Another few random cases/ bags you should probably look into are external hard drives and pocket video cameras. I recommend HIGHLY that every college student has an external hard drive. Whether you have a laptop, desktop, or no computer; I believe that an external hard drive is essential. The day before my 10 page research paper was due in my Sociology class, my computer crashed. Luckily I backed up my hard drive onto my external hard drive that day. Therefore, I did not lose anything. However, the next day, my friend came to my room and was trying to move some things around, and he stepped on my external drive. This crushed it and rendered it unusable. Luckily I had already reinstalled my hard drive onto my laptop. For this reason, along with many others, it is essential to get a case once you get an external hard drive. Most of the cases are smaller in size and can store easily. DO not make the same mistakes I made.

Next comes the pocket video camera cases/bags. The reason that this comes last is that not many people have them. I do believe, however, that if you DO have one, it is essential to get a case. Most of the pocket video cameras are fairly small and fairly easy to break. If you get a case or bag make sure that it can protect your camera.