Free backpack?

[skye]

can anyone provide a picture? i hope it's a nice shade of red

[Senorita~M]

They are "primary colour" red and the grey is a lightish grey silver, from what I recall. Not as hideous as those light green ones, but I would have preferred a burgundy with a darker grey, but obviously we have no choice in this matter now......

[astudentis]

do most med I's actually use these backpacks?

[The_B]

do most med I's actually use these backpacks?

 

Heck ya, they rule. Us 4th years still use ours.

[tooty]

i think i'll feel a little self-conscious wearing mine.

 

does anyone else feel that using these backpacks is a little pretentious? or is it just me? i suppose we worked hard and earned the right to show off our med student status, but i feel like doing so conveys the "better than thou" message.

[chemgirl]

I felt the same way... and if you get your LOC with MD management the bank card says "MD" on it in gargantuan letters and I always say "sorry about my pretentious bank card" if I notice the cashier looking at it and rolling their eyes... I know I did when I was a cashier every time someone had a credit card with "Dr." in front of their name.

 

i think i'll feel a little self-conscious wearing mine.

 

does anyone else feel that using these backpacks is a little pretentious? or is it just me? i suppose we worked hard and earned the right to show off our med student status, but i feel like doing so conveys the "better than thou" message.

[phulmayaa]

i think i'll feel a little self-conscious wearing mine.

 

does anyone else feel that using these backpacks is a little pretentious? or is it just me? i suppose we worked hard and earned the right to show off our med student status, but i feel like doing so conveys the "better than thou" message.

 

Agreed, but is there actually any advantage in using these backpacks over the ones we already have? Perhaps something to do with the convenience of identification?

[lostintime]

They're nice and large, and have a laptop compartment. Otherwise, they're kinda too bright and stick out too much. Would you REALLY want to be identifiable everywhere?

[rmorelan]

i think i'll feel a little self-conscious wearing mine.

 

does anyone else feel that using these backpacks is a little pretentious? or is it just me? i suppose we worked hard and earned the right to show off our med student status, but i feel like doing so conveys the "better than thou" message.

 

I didn't think so until everyone chimed in with the whole "status thing" and how prevalent they are at universities with a medical school attached. Originally I was lumping them into that general "frosh get free stuff" category which seemed perfectly normal to me. Heck I still have tee shirts from first year, and I still get stuff from conferences etc all the time. I don't wear any of that stuff to impress anyone, but this bag seems to be in an entirely different category and thus now I am not so sure

[lostintime]

It's not so much status as the fact that sometimes you just want to be a face in the crowd instead of being identified as from somewhere etc.

 

If you wear a UWO T-shirt, it's kind of different given the population of UWO or even one of their residences. But the med class of 2013 or 2012 or whatever is only like 100-200 people lol.

[Jochi1543]

I'm not wearing it as my regular backpack. 1) pretentious 2) makes you easily identifiable, which can be a bad thing if you just wanna relax and not be bugged by premeds or just feel like having a drink or dropping the F bomb without some whiner running to the dean and complaining that a med student is acting "unprofessional."

[tooty]

if you just wanna relax and not be bugged by premeds or just feel like having a drink or dropping the F bomb without some whiner running to the dean and complaining that a med student is acting "unprofessional."

 

if that ever happens to me, wayne brady is definitely gonna have to choke a b1tch.

 

[Microbiodude]

hmmm of all the premeds on this forum, how many of you have actually approached a med student you didn't know to ask about admissions information? For all the med students, how many of you have actually been approached by premeds when you were wearing something easily identifying you as a med student? I'm just trying to figure out if we're making assumptions or this actually happens. I remember when I studied at my library and sat about two tables away from a either a group of med students or even one med student on their own, over the span of 5 hours I never saw them approached even once. I've seen them once/twice a week over the span of a year.

 

 

I'll need a new backpack for the upcoming year and I'd rather use the one they give us then dish out another $60 or so. But if does attract unwanted attention then perhaps it'll be worth the investment to just buy a new bag.

[anonymity]

Completely agree with the above. In all my undergrad years, I've seen med students countless times, but never once have I seen them approached.

 

As for the whole pretentious thing... it's what you make it out to be. It's not like you are going to be sporting the bag and flashing a sly grin when a premed makes eye contact with you. If you feel self-conscious about it, then by all means, don't use it as a regular backpack.

 

I've been using the same beat up bag for school, camping, carrying gym clothes, etc, for four years so I'll gladly accept a new and free backpack. I just hope I won't be labelled as pretentious just for using it.

[ploughboy]

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" - attributed to Sigmund Freud

 

...and sometimes a backpack is just a backpack. I think some people are *really* overanalyzing things.

 

Aside from the CMA, MD Management and relevant provincial medical association logos (1.5" high in white thread in a panel across the bottom), there's nothing special about the bags. Believe it or not, there are people with the same High Sierra backpacks in the same colour schemes who aren't med students. If you find the bag useful, great. If you don't, great. Just don't expect it to confer some sort of rock-star status upon you.

 

Premed101 - taking obsessiveness to a whole new level...

[dan0105]

I'm not wearing it as my regular backpack. 1) pretentious 2) makes you easily identifiable, which can be a bad thing if you just wanna relax and not be bugged by premeds or just feel like having a drink or dropping the F bomb without some whiner running to the dean and complaining that a med student is acting "unprofessional."

 

I'm with jochi on this one.

[tooty]

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" - attributed to Sigmund Freud

 

...and sometimes a backpack is just a backpack. I think some people are *really* overanalyzing things.

 

Aside from the CMA, MD Management and relevant provincial medical association logos (1.5" high in white thread in a panel across the bottom), there's nothing special about the bags. Believe it or not, there are people with the same High Sierra backpacks in the same colour schemes who aren't med students. If you find the bag useful, great. If you don't, great. Just don't expect it to confer some sort of rock-star status upon you.

 

Premed101 - taking obsessiveness to a whole new level...

 

relax dude. we're chill.

[RCP90]

Whoah. Didn't read the whole thread but....

 

Are we getting a little ahead of ourselves here. "Pretentious" display of achievement? Its a red backpack that means you got into medical school. Big flippin deal. It's not like you're Master of the Universe, or something worth a second look. Get over yourself. You're not that important. And neither am I.

 

If you're worried you might look like you think you're the ish and showboating, then try this: I knew med students who sported the bag, but in their behaviour, they were extremely modest, polite, humble, chill and didn't walk with their noses in the clouds.

 

And if a prememd approached me asking admissions questions. No problem. Happy to help.

 

Oh, and what pb said.

[BigManOnCampus]

I'm gonna rock the bag like I bought it, and I really don't give a **** what other people take it to mean.

 

co-sign pb and rcp90, too

[tooty]

Whoah. Didn't read the whole thread but....

 

Are we getting a little ahead of ourselves here. "Pretentious" display of achievement? Its a red backpack that means you got into medical school. Big flippin deal. It's not like you're Master of the Universe, or something worth a second look. Get over yourself. You're not that important. And neither am I.

 

If you're worried you might look like you think you're the ish and showboating, then try this: I knew med students who sported the bag, but in their behaviour, they were extremely modest, polite, humble, chill and didn't walk with their noses in the clouds.

 

And if a prememd approached me asking admissions questions. No problem. Happy to help.

 

Oh, and what pb said.

 

how strongly do you think anyone can feel about this? we're talking about backpacks. in my list of priorities, it's listed just below the next time i'll need to take a dump (in 30 minutes).

 

i'll probably still wear mine and will continue to think that i and everyone else who will wear one will appear a little pretentious. if you can't respect that, then whatevs hommie.

[Jochi1543]

hmmm of all the premeds on this forum, how many of you have actually approached a med student you didn't know to ask about admissions information? For all the med students, how many of you have actually been approached by premeds when you were wearing something easily identifying you as a med student? I'm just trying to figure out if we're making assumptions or this actually happens. I remember when I studied at my library and sat about two tables away from a either a group of med students or even one med student on their own, over the span of 5 hours I never saw them approached even once. I've seen them once/twice a week over the span of a year.

 

 

I'll need a new backpack for the upcoming year and I'd rather use the one they give us then dish out another $60 or so. But if does attract unwanted attention then perhaps it'll be worth the investment to just buy a new bag.

 

My most memorable one so far was when I got cornered by a kid at my gym's front desk when I put in "medical student" as "occupation" on my membership application. Had to listen to a 20-minute story of his entire academic record, ECs, etc, was polite and feigned extensive excitement when he asked how I feel about being admitted, etc. He was a nice kid and was genuinely curious about everything, but I don't want that happening every day.

 

Considering I only recently got admitted and have not yet stepped foot on campus, I can only imagine how often it would happen once classes start, but after being asked by everyone and their mother "so, tell me about some cool calls you've had" and "I don't know how you people deal with all that bloody stuff" about 500 times while wearing my EMS uniform or jacket in a public place, I'd rather stay unidentified as a medical student.

 

However, the potential for getting free/discounted food compensated for the nuisance of being barraged by the public, so I still wouldn't leave my EMS jacket in the car if I wanted to stop for coffee or something on the way home from work. You gotta take the bad with the good.

[sasquatch86]

My most memorable one so far was when I got cornered by a kid at my gym's front desk when I put in "medical student" as "occupation" on my membership application. Had to listen to a 20-minute story of his entire academic record, ECs, etc, was polite and feigned extensive excitement when he asked how I feel about being admitted, etc. He was a nice kid and was genuinely curious about everything, but I don't want that happening every day.

 

Considering I only recently got admitted and have not yet stepped foot on campus, I can only imagine how often it would happen once classes start, but after being asked by everyone and their mother "so, tell me about some cool calls you've had" and "I don't know how you people deal with all that bloody stuff" about 500 times while wearing my EMS uniform or jacket in a public place, I'd rather stay unidentified as a medical student.

 

However, the potential for getting free/discounted food compensated for the nuisance of being barraged by the public, so I still wouldn't leave my EMS jacket in the car if I wanted to stop for coffee or something on the way home from work. You gotta take the bad with the good.

 

Simple solution, just put 'Student' down as an occupation. You get your membership, no questions, everybody is a winner.

[gibson303]

Anyone who isn't going to wear this bag, because they think it is "pretentious" = self-righteous

 

Anyone who is wearing this bag because they simply think it is a "free bag" = lying

 

I think it is a little bit of both. Yes, the bag is free, that saves you $80 and from talking to other Meds apparently it is actually a decent bag. Any student that attends an university with a medical school can easily identify these bags. And every medical student knows this! The bag is hideous...let's be honest. It is in bright colors and stands right out. People wear it because yes it is a free bag, but also because it is a MED SCHOOL bag.

 

There is nothing wrong with this however...referring to the person who was "embarassed" to show their MD management bank card, really? you are way too self concious if you think people get bugged seeing a card like that.

 

Believe it or not, it is OKAY to be proud of your accomplishments. The bag is free, but is also a sign of your accomplishment, wear it proudly, the law students wear theirs, the dents wear theirs and I don't think anyone thinks they're pretentious. At the very least, they say, "oh there goes a med student, what an ugly bag".

 

Sport that bag you deserve it, if you don't like it buy a new bag, it is no different than wearing an University T-Shirt that Says "Schulich Medicine". You don't need that bag to be a pretentious med student.

 

Also...like others said this bag isn't celebrity status, it isn't going to get you premeds rushing in to ask you questions, get over urself.

[WaveSense]

I'm not going to wear my bag.. Couple buddies of mine that are on campus are having problems getting into med schools and i don't want to remind them of that everytime we see each other. My old bag works just fine

[astudentis]

You know, I didn't even know about these colored backpacks for each class year until this year when a UofA student actually told me a day before my interview. Coming from a undergrad school that doesn't have a med school, I presume most wouldn't even know about it.

 

But, I do have to agree that these brightly colored backpacks are too vibrant...

 

Personally, even if I chose to wear the backpack, and was singled out by premeds for advice, I would be glad to help (to return a favor)