Viozon Book Stand for Reading,Book Holder, Height&Angle Adjustable, 360° Rotating Base, Foldable and Portable, Lightweight for Office, Kitchen, School Textbook, Recipe, Magazine,Kindle,Tablet DW

100% a backpack over a tote. I love The OGIO Renegade RSS Backpack. It fits up to a 17 inch laptop, has a tablet sleeve, and lots of pockets. I've had no problems carrying 2-3 books. iPads are great for reading on the go and taking notes in class but not a necessity. For highlighters, buy the ones that are made for bibles. They won't bleed through the pages of your books, which can be pretty thin. This is the bookstand I use. I like the adjustability for when I chose to use my adjustable desk in the standing position.