Make sure the bag has two, wide straps. There are some backpacks that double as shoulder bags: while stylish, they won’t be very good for carrying heavy weight as they’ll put more weight on one side of your spine. Two wide straps will distribute the weight of the bag evenly to both your shoulders, while narrow straps will dig in and cause pain. Make sure the straps rest comfortably on your shoulders, and aren’t too wide or too close together. Too close together, and the straps may feel tight and constricting while resting too close to your neck. Too far apart and they may tend to slip off your shoulders. Check the center of gravity. The heaviest of your books and belongings will rest at the very bottom of the bag, so you want to make sure that that center of weight isn’t too low. The bottom of the backpack should rest at your hip line, or right about the height where you’d wear a belt.
Make decluttering a habit! If you know you won’t need something, leave it out of your bag. Go through your bag weekly to make sure you haven’t piled up more of the same old things.
