Try travel stores, you'll find tonnes in Pitt St Mall.
If you have a laptop think about getting one of the stealth laptop bags (look like ordinary backpacks/shoulder bags). These can be found at most large computer stores, as well as Apple Centres.
For 'cool' bags, go to surf shops, for pretty high quality ones try a bag shop such as strandbags or ones that sell luggage, or for cheap ones try places like kmart and big w (you can still get nice ones there, just not paying for the expensive label-however, many are pretty dodgy style-wise)
are the type of bags ur looking for- shoulder bags??? i'm going to the city today....but i'm finding it soo hard to find nice ones that would fit a 5 subject a4 book.....cos i figured i probably wont need many textbooks if any..and i could always carry them....
apparently most people do
and you dont have to get the huge chunky arsed nerdy ones that sit a kilometer off your back, i got a really nice one that will fit everything i need yet is still small and fashionable
trust me...we're not the only yr of new uni people that have worried about this
everyone wants to look good, but in the end like what hipsta_jess said - there are some nice backpacks out there...it'll just take some time to find
i've made up my mind...i'll get a shoulder bag and i'll just use the backpack that i've had for ages...it doesn't look ugly but it doesn't stand out as "wow, i've gotta get one!"