Any old rack should do the trick.

For a student who I assume is poor, I would recommend a kittier. The rigid plastic will be spacious, protective, and waterproof. Free if you can find one by a dumpster, or know somebody with a cat that will give you an empty. A few bucks at the hardware store for hooks and bolts.

For a laptop however, I do agree that hdd should probably not be vibrated too hard. Wrapping it in a towel should provide sufficient protection, or maybe a sleeve of bubble-wrap. Or carry just the laptop in a backpack to keep it light on your back, but everything else in the kittier?

I have carried a Microsoft Surface from work to home and back in my kittier and it was fine (but I assume that was SSD only). I have also carried a few different laptops occasionally, and never had a problem.