What's wrong with pencil cases?

[Feirefiz]

Earlier today read a blog post covering two alleged German quirks. The first one about the book covers seems a bit exaggerated but there is nothing too surprising about that.
I am asking about the other one. This isn't the first time I have seen Americans bewildered by the German custom of adults using pencil cases.

Do you really not do this? They seem to serve a pretty obvious purpose. Is there a specific reason why you don't do it? I you are in the position that you have to use writing utensils and accessories but you aren't at your own desk, what do you do instead? Throw everything into one bag? Do you carry one or two pens so that the pen holders in bags or briefcases will be enough?

Yes, I do carry a pencil case. At the moment it contains a fountain pen, three rollerball pens (2 blue 1 red,) a pencil, a sharpener, an eraser, a 15cm ruler and scissors. At times it might contain various other pens and markers.

[What Exit?]

Generally I may or may not have a pen on me and some scrap paper for quick notes. I carry an old backpack to work. This has my laptop, pens and pencils and a note pad and I some other odds and ends.

How do you carry the pencil case? Can you link to a picture of a similar one?

[Myrnalene]

.....It would never occur to me to carry a pencil (or pen, since we use those much more often) case. I keep a pen or two in my purse. If men carry a bag, I imagine they will keep them there. I will note that students are mentioned in the blog - but outside of academic life, every place you would be that would require a pen (places of work, banks, restaurants) will provide one for you.

That said, I think carrying a pencil case as a student sounds perfectly reasonable and the blogger's bemused outrage is funny.

[Orual]

I carry a purse, so I just keep a pen in there. I don't have day-to-day need for a pencil or anything else.

[Marsilia]

I carry a big bag. My spiral bound date book has a pen stuck in it, and I have another pen stuck into another notebook I carry. For school, my binder has a place to stick pens and pencils. As most of my pencils have erasers, I don't have to carry one around. Also, I use mechanical pencils, so I don't need a sharpener.

That being said, I did find a pencil pouch that matches one of my bags. It's currently holding my mp3 player and a stick of lip balm.

[Feirefiz]

How do you carry the pencil case? Can you link to a picture of a similar one?

Usually I carry it in a notebook backpack. There are many different types but mine is reasonably close to this one, only dark gray:

[Myrnalene]

So do Germans really use those book cover things? I have not seen that here (although I live in a city with crap public transportation, which means I do not have as much of a chance to observe people as I would wish. )

[The Original An Gadaí]

Pencil cases for adults are pretty much unknown here except perhaps for the odd teacher or artist. I've never heard either stereotype but must ask my brother in law.

[Feirefiz]

I will note that students are mentioned in the blog - but outside of academic life, every place you would be that would require a pen (places of work, banks, restaurants) will provide one for you.

That said, I think carrying a pencil case as a student sounds perfectly reasonable and the blogger's bemused outrage is funny.

Yes, it is something that makes most sense in academic settings. It's not just for students but also for lecturers and other scientists or school teachers.

Here is another post on the same topic.

So do Germans really use those book cover things? I have not seen that here (although I live in a city with crap public transportation, which means I do not have as much of a chance to observe people as I would wish. )

They exist but they aren't really all that common. It seems to me that for the most part they are found among the more cutesy parts of society.

[Myrnalene]

Hmm, those last are actually sort of pretty.

[Glazer]

I have a leather notebook case that holds: graphpaper, compass, protractor, engineer's rule, calculator, paperwork and a couple of catalogs as well as an extra pen and mechanical pencil. I keep a pen and mechanical pencil clipped to my shirt or pocket. And I keep a couple of sharpie's in a pouch on my tool belt. Along with a cup on my desk full of pens and colored pencils and sharpie's. If I kept all these in one place I would never have one when I needed it,

[Sarahfeena]

I personally don't have a need to carry anything other than a pen and maybe a small notepad. Everything else I need I have at home and at work, so I don't need to keep it on my person. When I was in school, most kids seemed to just have a pocket in their backpack where they keep pens/pencils/etc. People who have a need to carry stuff for their jobs I think tend to have something like Glazer described.

[The Original An Gadaí]

I never saw a pocket protector until I visited the US a few years ago. I'd heard about them in the Simpsons but never seen one. I dunno if you could buy them here.

[What Exit?]

I never saw a pocket protector until I visited the US a few years ago. I'd heard about them in the Simpsons but never seen one. I dunno if you could buy them here.

They are extremely rare these days though.

[OneCentStamp]

I was raised in the USA, I write frequently, at work and in my daily life, and I couldn't imagine carrying a single pen or pencil on me, let alone many, which would necessitate the use of an entire case.

[AndrewRyan]

They are extremely rare these days though.

They shouldn't be rare though. To me, nothing says bad ass kind of cool like a pocket protector!

[Laughing Lagomorph]

They are extremely rare these days though.

I've actually never seen anyone wear one in real life.

With respect to the pencil cases: I've worked in science for the last 25 years and never seen anyone use one. First of all in my work pretty much everything needs to be in pen. My employer keeps us well supplied with pens so I don't need to carry any around with me (I usually keep one in my pocket though). No pencils means no need for erasers. We are forbidden from using ink colors other than black or blue so no need for pens with red or green ink.

When I took some courses a couple of years back I used a binder similar to this one:
http://www.mead.com/webapp/wcs/store...-1_false_10051

It had a built in pocket in which I stashed various small items including some extra pens and highlighters. No need for a separate holder for pens/pencils although I could see students and professionals in some fields could need one.

[What Exit?]

I've actually never seen anyone wear one in real life.

I actually used one when I was an HVAC mechanic, we needed to carry around small screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, a pressure gage for the pneumatic controls, thermometers, pens and a name tag so the pocket protector made sense for us. It made life easier and when I did have to crawl into a duct or in a ceiling it made it easier to remove and leave on my cart.