Roll Out!

Since the dawn of time, man has used the backpack to transport books between dorm rooms and lecture halls. But from deep within the ivy-covered walls of Old Quincy, a suitcase-rolling hero has risen to challenge the hegemony of the bookbag. Just who is this mysterious nonconformist who stalks the Yard with luggage in tow, who dares replace Jansport with Samsonite? What drives him? FM presents an exclusive interview with Travis G. Good ’04. Good is a Crimson executive, but, more importantly, he is The Guy Who Takes a Suitcase to Class.

Fifteen Minutes: Is Trevor there?

Travis Good: You mean Travis?

FM: Um, yes.

Good: Yeah.

FM: I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier when I said I would. Someone brought in Chinese food and what can you do.

[Awkward silence.]

So...we’ve heard you take a suitcase to class. Please describe the suitcase in question.

Good: It’s a large black suitcase that has one of the handles that you can extend and retract and it can also be used as a backpack. There’s a top compartment, a middle compartment and a big lower compartment. I take this to most classes. Most of the time I roll it.

FM: If the suitcase can actually be worn as a backpack, why do you still roll it?

Good: I generally carry a lot of stuff with me. I have a laptop in there. That’s in the middle. I put the adapter as well as a power regulator in the top compartment. In the bottom I put my books. And for one class, say Portuguese, that could be a dictionary, a verb book and a textbook. I also usually have some spare reading material in case I get bored.

The other reason I tend to roll it is for speed. If I’m late to a class it’s easier to run to a class with a piece of luggage rather than a backpack on my back.

FM: If the suitcase is so efficient, why hasn’t it replaced the backpack as the accepted conventional means of book/laptop transportation?

Good: It does cause some problems. The main thing is at least one person every day asks me where I’m going or what vacation I’ve come back from. The other problem is wear and tear. I’ve put enough miles on this thing that the wheels are starting to wear down.

FM: Are you aware of any others on campus who share your luggage-rolling ways?

Good: I’ve seen one person. I’ve only seen them with a suitcase twice, so I was unable to ascertain whether they were a real luggage-carrying individual or whether that was a temporary arrangement.

FM: So in situations where most people use a backpack, you use a suitcase. What do you use in situations where most people use a suitcase?

Good: I generally travel really light. This luggage I take to class is actually the same luggage I take home. It’s the only piece I carry.