10. Zelda Backpack

If you say this isn't the coolest backpack you've ever seen, you're a damn lie. I don't even like the Zelda games, but I've always thought Link was hot and the Breath of the Wild aesthetic is super cool. Combine the fact that this backpack was basically half off after Christmas, I had to have it. Hopefully when I get a Switch (one day), I'll get this game and like it, but I've tried the Zelda games multiple times and just couldn't get into them. 

I love this backpack. I haven't gone to any classes yet, so I haven't had to opportunity to carry it around much, but it's much better quality that I thought it was going to be. The front design is pretty seamless and well-built. It's also big enough to fit my 17" laptop so if I ever need/want to take that colossal thing anywhere, I now have a backpack fits it instead of carrying around some awkward tote where the laptop sticks out the top. It's also got two side pockets, a laptop compartment, another compartment on top of the laptop sleeve, and more pockets on the inside. And the straps and back are padded, so it should be more comfortable to carry heavy things (laptops) than my cute, but not padded Kipling backpack. 

And the best part, I ended up recouping my costs on this bag so I really only spent $5 instead of $20. Okay, so I ordered this bag from Hot Topic. I had to pay $4.99 for bullshit Fedex Smartpost shipping, which no one ever wants to tell you until after they ship it out that that's the carrier they're gonna use. But I'm not hear to talk about Fedex Stupidpost. Either way, Hot Topic usually sends out my stuff the next business day and it had been about 3 so I emailed them just to make sure they actually had the bag. I understood it was right after Christmas, but I prefer to catch issues early than to just assume they'll work it out and then they don't and whatever. So yeah, after I emailed them, they shipped it out the next day from Tennessee. Fedex got the package to Texas (which is where I live) where it sat for 4 days. Like, the package came in the northeast Texas area, passed my area in Central Texas, sat in Houston four 4 days, and then passed my area AGAIN and ended up in Mississippi. Oh, and when this happened, my delivery date got pushed out 2 extra days. Of course, after I call and email about it, my package magically ended up at my local post office in less that 24 hours. Regardless, I got the backpack on January 4th.

Fast forward to January 9th, I hear the doorbell ring. When I step outside I see a package that looks just like the backpack I already received. This one was actually packaged better, had a receipt, and the coupon they usually give you when you order online, so I'm assuming that whoever shipped this bag out actually gave a shit. Either way, I had two of the exact same backpack. My first thought is maybe I could give this bag to one of my friends. Then it dons on me. I could send this second one back and get a refund. After making sure they didn't charge me twice for the backpack, that's exactly what I did. So yeah. I didn't get refunded the shipping costs, but I basically got this bag for free.

And that my dear friends, is why organization is important. Shipping out the same item to a customer twice can cost you money. Aside from the fact that their stuff is overpriced (though there really isn't much of an alternative, especially if we're only talking brick and mortar stores), their Hot Cash is a joke and so is their rewards program. Also, every store I go to is super crowded and their young employees almost always act like they've got some kind of issue communicating with other people. Despite those things, I STILL shop there. And they had to the audicity to ship Fedex Smartpost.
Usually they ship UPS from what I recall.

Why is it that whenever I have to actually PAY for shipping, stores choose to ship Smartpost but when the shipping is free, they ship UPS or even USPS??? Why??? I swear, even UPS Surepost is better than Fedex's Smartpost since UPS doesn't just fuck around with your package and send it all around the country twice before giving it to USPS. If places were more upfront that they were going to use Fedex Smartpost, I would actually be willing to pay more for shipping just because Smartpost is that fucking bad.