School Bags

lilmissprincess

Hi,
I'm a TY student and for our YSI project we are studying the effects of school bags on students backs.
A small group in the class is making a short DVD presentation on how school bags and their weight are damaging students backs, and the solutions to this problem.
For this DVD we would lke to have a few statements from students themselves, so if you have any opinions on the matter, please post them here or PM me, and they may be used for this short DVD.
Thanks,
LMP

Thomas_S_Hunterson

I don't think the weight of school bags is really doing much damage to be honest, unless students are being stupid and bringing huge amounts of excess books home. A good school bag will spread the weight, placing most of it on the shoulders and very little stress on the back.

sunflowerz

lilmissprincess wrote:

Hi,
I'm a TY student and for our YSI project we are studying the effects of school bags on students backs.
A small group in the class is making a short DVD presentation on how school bags and their weight are damaging students backs, and the solutions to this problem.
For this DVD we would lke to have a few statements from students themselves, so if you have any opinions on the matter, please post them here or PM me, and they may be used for this short DVD.
Thanks,
LMP

You know whats even worse than school bags on your back....the ones the first years wheel around. They're so dangerous, my shins are bruised from constantly being whacked by wheels and my toes have gotten run over several times.
YEP, I know this does help much but anyways

tolosenc

Sunflowerz, de-wheel'em at lunch.

sunflowerz

obl wrote:

Sunflowerz, de-wheel'em at lunch.

what?....i dont get it................

Mushy

Once its kept over two shoulders, and not trying to be the cool person hanging it off one shoulder, there should be no damage. As said above, it distributes the weight more evenly

melekalikimaka

decent padding, tight on the back and possibly waist support and its probably safer than a light bag off the shoulder

cson

For Junior Certs the amount of subjects and books they have for them is ridiculous, even 1st years... its crazy :eek:

For leaving certs, if you have a locker and considering you only do approx 7 subjects, it shouldn't be an issue at all

Hopkirk

cson wrote:

For Junior Certs the amount of subjects and books they have for them is ridiculous, even 1st years... its crazy :eek:

For leaving certs, if you have a locker and considering you only do approx 7 subjects, it shouldn't be an issue at all

Ya Junior Cert is ridiculous, I had 10 subjects and books for everyone, I broke two bags in third year.

The Leaving ain't to bad, Never bring in books for some of my classes, just share with someone else, makes things must more manageable.:D

europerson

Every student in every school ought to have a locker.

cookiemonst3r

I know a girl who nearly fell backwards over the banister on the stairs cos her bag was so heavy! Funny but kinda mean. I also know a girl who twisted her ankle when she fell over cos her bag was so heavy.

PurpleFistMixer

I think people just bring too many books home.
Otherwise... never felt any adverse effects from my bag. Possibly because I usually only have about one big book or less in it. And my walk is 5 minutes long.
But yeah, off the shoulder, or on two shoulders but straps as loose as you can go so your bag is sitting on your ass... they're probably bad ways to have it.
Then again, having your bag fully tightened/all straps connected/sitting on your shoulders is liable to get you a beating, so there's a potential health risk.

cson

Actually, does anyone notice a lessening in the supposedly 'cool' carrying your bag on one strap?

I never did it for the main reason that carrying my bag on two straps seemed more comfortable and logical.

Copper_90210

i used delibrately leave books at school coz my bag was too heavy. i even had 2go 2doctor with pain on my back in 1st year all beacuse of the weight of my bag. what really annoyed me for the first 3yrs was that i'd a 17min walk home and with a heavy bag of books-it feels like an eternity and u just collapse coming in the door!...luckily i get collected now:)

Mushy

cson wrote:

Actually, does anyone notice a lessening in the supposedly 'cool' carrying your bag on one strap?

Yup, definately in secondary schools anyway. You always see primary school kids doing it though, thinkthe weight actually catches up on them in first year. The new "cool" thing is having the bag over two shoulders, but way down your back, which isnt too great either

cson

Yeah, whats the craic with that? I doubt having your bag dragging on your arse is too comfortable! Honestly, who are you trying to impress doing that.

nick23

Does this seem like an irrelevant topic to anyone apart from me?
A bag is a bag. It carries books. Unless you're a complete idiot there is no reason it should hurt your back

md99

I think it's very relevant...

Heavy bags are, in many cases, back killers.

There are a few solutions, ie lockers - which involves trekking to them several times a day usually, often not practical considering the schools time table, or cars - I use my car as a locker, saves a lot of time and energy as the locker room in our school isn't conveniently situated and takes up time (eg time during our crappy 45 minute lunch break, which we need)... I don't see why more students don't use their cars!

cson

nick23 wrote:

Does this seem like an irrelevant topic to anyone apart from me?
A bag is a bag. It carries books. Unless you're a complete idiot there is no reason it should hurt your back

I implore you to look around you the next time you are in school. How many people are carrying bags full up with books, almost bursting. Its mostly juniors who are ironically the ones most at risk from the huge load of books they are carrying. I find it particularly demeaning to see a 1st year hauling a bag half the size of them! And especially if its on one shoulder :eek:

Its going to be issue, certainly with Juniors anyway.

PurpleFistMixer

md99 wrote:

I don't see why more students don't use their cars!

They don't have cars, perhaps? : )

Dunno, in my school our lockers are situated at the back of the class, so almost nobody would actually bring their bag around with them during the day. That or we just leave books under our desks.

Donald-Duck

I rarely had a problem from 1st to 6th year with the weight of my bag. If it was heavy I'd just "forget" a book and share with someone else. And that was only during the junior cycle

md99

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

They don't have cars, perhaps? : )

:rolleyes: knew I was gonna get this response. True, in our school though there are a signifcant number (say, 30-40% of students) driving, and only 4-5 use their cars as lockers... I don't see why

cson

Definitely a good whack of our year driving to scoil, but the majority aren't. So using a car as a locker is kinda outta the question. But for senior cycle it shouldn't be too much of an issue as opposed to Juniors.

roberta c

1st-3rd yr are a killer on the back! especially 3rd yr when your expected to have around 8-9 books + copies +exampapers for each of the 8-9 subjects! lockers should be free for all students in schools.
imagine if adults were expected to haul a huge bag of books to work everyday, with 8-9 books in them, with no car! its not on!

md99

i think it's horrible, these 'trollies' are a good idea, I don't know why my school hasn't started using them.

You're right, it's even worse in the Junior Cycle when you're weaker and have more subjects, Senior it really depends on your situation... You may be lucky and have subjects which may not need a book (eg for me, all we use in accounting is the exam papers and a copy... likewise for economics, exam papers and a notes copy)

melekalikimaka

md99 wrote:

:rolleyes: knew I was gonna get this response. True, in our school though there are a signifcant number (say, 30-40% of students) driving, and only 4-5 use their cars as lockers... I don't see why

30-40% of the students over 17 that is...at most, and thats one sixth...at most so 30-40% of one sixthr eally isnt most students

Copper_90210

lets just say 'IF' my dad let me take d car for d sake of my back- i'd use it!(..not gona happen) but just thinkng about it-if a teacher saw one of us walking out 2d car 4a book during classes-they'd freak! :eek: besides in our skool we're not aloud park cars along with the teachers' fancy ones:p we're suppose 2leave our's outside of skool and walk in. sucks i no:mad:
but seriously i do no 6th yrs who always have their bags full..and i do mean like overflowing:(

Milktrolley

md99 wrote:

(eg for me, all we use in accounting is the exam papers and a copy...)

Seriously? We have a 500-page book that we have to carry around! On top of the exam papers and two A4 copies!

Anyhoo, most of the time if you use your back sensibly it'll do, but there are times where even the most careful person will need to start shuffling their shoulders around to try and ease the pain.

cson

Most 6th years are capable (or should be:rolleyes: ) of taking care of their books/bags etc so its not an issue. I mean the majority will have 7 subjects so = 7 books
7 copies
7 exam papers
1 Folder

Now if you can't manage to spread that evenly between a locker, your bag and leaving books at home on days you don't have certain subjects then there is something wrong with you.

PurpleFistMixer

Ah you end up with a load more books than that though. For physics I have the book, the workbook, and two hardback copies, and a folder. For english you've got all your texts and all. And history and geography have numerous text books.

That said, it seems immensely improbable that you're going to have all 7 subjects requiring all of the books for each of the subjects during a period wherein you have no access to a locker.

cson

Exactly. Im just trying to put things into perspective here.

Most Juniors are 5' nothing and look like the wind would blow them away, hence its ridiculous to expect them to haul 10+ books around with them.