Textbooks: Don’t Spend All Your Summer’s Savings In One Place!

Until the digital revolution takes full grasp of our literary lives, you’ll still be buying textbooks this semester, next semester, and the semester after that. While many schools do offer downloadable textbooks, those regular books aren’t getting any cheaper or any lighter. In fact, while they’re a small expense compared to the cost of college classes and boarding in a dorm room, they’re a significant expenditure, and one you can pay too much for.

But before you see your summer’s savings turned into a single history book, plan out how you’ll purchase those books. Most first-year students head out and buy every textbook for every class right from their school bookstore—that’s a common rookie mistake. While your official school bookstore probably has the largest selection of books, shop around. Many schools, especially schools with a more urban campus, have textbook vendors that offer better prices and a different selection of books. 

Check those out and shop around. It seems your official school bookstore will always have the most expansive selection, but the other bookstores in the area are definitely worth a look. Some bookstores also offer the ability to rent textbooks, which isn’t a bad idea. It’s true you might revisit an old textbook if it involves your major or a field that interests you. But if it doesn’t, chances are you won’t crack it open again ever once the semester ends.

Don’t forget to look online, too. All sorts of sites offer new and used textbooks, and comparison shopping online is easier and more convenient. Don’t forget to look online, too. All sorts of sites offer new and used textbooks, and comparison shopping online is easier and more convenient.

Aside from the bookstore on campus, that school library is another resource you shouldn’t pass up. Most if not all textbooks for a class can be borrowed from your school’s library. Some books often can only be borrowed for a certain time period, such as a few hours, however, so be aware of that. Either way, borrowing from the library is free, and you can’t beat that! If you have any friends in the same class as you, share a textbook with them. You can each pay half and use it as needed. Deciding who gets custody in the end shouldn’t be too difficult—in all honesty, you probably won’t be longing to keep a book titled Level 3 Statistical Modeling With Differential Equations when you’re done with the class.

No matter your major or planned major, there will be plenty of textbooks. Buy the ones that you think will be worth keeping and even be interesting. But for the dozens of others, rent them, borrow them, or at least buy them used. Crisp, clean pages aren’t always worth a couple extra hundred dollars.

Getting Along With The Parents: A New Sort Of Long DIstance Relationship

Heading off to college and kissing mom and dad goodbye might sound like a dream come true to you. Four years of freedom and zero parental guidance! Even if you got along well with your parents, it’s an exciting time for sure. Get ready to stay out as late as you’d like without your cell phone blowing up with concerned-parent calls.

Whether you and your parents lived in peace or you were constantly fighting with each other, your parents are going to miss you; it’s an undeniable fact. Perhaps you counted down the days until you were leaving for college—and maybe your parents did too!—and when you arrive, you plan to celebrate this new-found freedom. As you go about celebrating, get ready for your phone to ring … and guess who it is? It’s mom and dad calling, just to, you know, make sure you’re doing ok and that you don’t need them to bring you any more dorm supplies.

Managing parents through a phone-based long distance relationship is plenty different than living at home with them. If you like your parents, and they like you, expect plenty of phone calls. But unlike a conversation at the dinner table, parents have a knack to call at the most inconvenient times. That 10-pager is due in an hour and … it’s Dad calling again! Don’t take it out on your dad, he didn’t know. Since they’ll want constant updates, and you’ll want to know how they’re doing, too, try setting up a time every day when you can each talk. Later at night should be convenient, but don’t forget that parents go to bed at old-people hours, like 9 or 10 p.m. Keep that in mind.

If you and your parents didn’t get along so great, they’ll still want to know how you’re doing in school. It’s just a parental instinct, and it holds true no matter how much you used to argue with them. As you now might have expected, expect that phone to start ringing! Now that you’re not under the same roof, it can actually be a good time to better your relationship. You won’t have to face daily face-to-face arguments, and everyone will now have more space (well, not literally since you’ll be stuck in small dorm room). So when the phone rings, answer it, and just let them know that things are going well. That’s all they’ll want to hear.

Parents especially like when you’re the one doing the calling. While you expect calls from them, they might never expect calls from you. Try surprising them! Don’t worry it’ll be a pleasant surprise. And try not to get in the habit of calling them only when you need something. Give them a ring every once in awhile just to see how they’re doing. Chances are you’ll be the only one with any exciting news to share, but checking in with them never hurts.

Above all, mom and dad just want to know that you’re safe. In all honesty, you can get away with lying to them now that you’re miles and miles away, but in truth they probably wouldn’t be too hurt as long as they know you’re ok. Use your time away from your parents to better your relationship, and things will be better off when you move back home! Just kidding. But in all seriousness, your parents will still be in your life for a long time, so keep them in mind during college life.

College Is A Few Weeks Away. Feeling Excited? Anxious? Don’t Sweat It!

Are you looking forward to college? You’ve heard that question more than a few times this past few months. So, what’s your answer? Yes! We hope. Still, with that excitement comes some anxiety. Anyone and everyone has to admit there’s lingering or at least subtle anxiety. Maybe you’re going to a school several states away. Maybe it’s half an hour away. Either way, it’s a big switch, and with change comes some anxiety. Just don’t let any jitters overwhelm the excitement you feel.

Admittedly, there’s plenty to be anxious about. Will those classes be tough? Will you make friends? Will you get lost on your campus and have to pull out your map, indicating to all those in your area that, yes, you’re a freshman. Hey, don’t sweat it. All of those concerns are normal—and they’re vaild. Those classes might indeed be tough, and it also might be hard to make friends at first.

But it’s key to keep that phrase in mind: at first. It will take some adjusting to college life before it starts feeling normal. Anxiety will be at its peak initially. As much as you’re looking forward to college, will feel, well, weird in the beginning. Yet as quickly as those anxieties rise up, they’ll dissipate. If you’re hanging out alone in your dorm, the anxiety creeps in. But then college life presents so many new activities and opportunities, that it’s tough to let anxiety get the best of you when you’re out going to new classes, heading off to a party, or grabbing a meal with some other kids in your dorm. The point is, college will keep you busy enough so that you won’t be stuck drowning in anxieties, be they homesickness, grades, or anything else. By simpling participating in college life and all it has to offer, chances are, you’ll find yourself well adjusted and enjoying yourself after a few weeks. Going to college will feel normal, as crazy as that sounds right now.

You’re better off going into college expecting to feel a little anxious and uncertain about things. It’s only natural. If you’re very excited about starting school and you don’t think you’ll be homesick or worried about change, those feelings can creep in. So go in expecting at least a smidgen of anxiety. But also feel reassured knowing that it won’t last long! College is a years-long commitment, and you might be feeling uneasy for a few weeks. Hey, what’s a few weeks when compared to a few years?

In the end, don’t let a little anxiety and butterflies overcome the anticipation and excitement of starting your college career. It’ll feel strange when you’re unpacked in your dorm and spending your first night there. Steadily, gradually, it’ll get better, and soon college life will feel like everyday living. And yes, you’ll have plenty of fun!

Tackling The Tough Subjects: When’s It TIme To Get Some Help?

college degree holds significance for a variety of reasons. In its most basic regard, it shows you’ve successfully completed years of education.  Yet a degree is proof of something else: that you can get through something that was a long, demanding commitment.

College classes can be tough, that’s no secret. Hopefully you’ll find yourself well-prepared for your first year and beyond, but not matter how bright you are or how avid your study skills are, you’ll find your share of assignments and classes that will challenge you. In addition to the rigorous material, one of the challenges will be how you handle these obstacles.

Sometimes you’ll have to reach out for help; there’s no shame being in that position, as thinking you’ll never find yourself confused in class would be an awfully proud and even foolish disposition. But when is it time to ask for help? And who can your turn to? Don’t worry. No matter how big or small your school, it’ll have plenty of resources and people available for your academic aid.

A poor grade on an exam or assignment isn’t necessarily a surefire indicator to visit your professor after class for more review. Bad grades, for a variety of reasons, will happen. It’s hackneyed advice, but just try studying harder and really focusing in class—when that doesn’t cut it, though, that’s when it’s time for some assistance. At least allow yourself a second attempt to recover after a poorly scored test or assignment. But be careful not to fall too far into the next-time-I’ll-get-it-right mentality. If you don’t succeed, try again. And if you don’t succeed again, get some help!

Too many students don’t take advantage of teachers’ office hours. Most instructors have a block of time each week where students can come in to review any material and to ask questions. Dropping by can only help your grade, and it’ll show the instructor that you actually care about the class, whereas  many other students unfortunately won’t care. If you go to a larger school, there may also be teacher aides who literally spend time just sitting in offices waiting for students to ask them questions. And should there be no aides, another instructor in the department should be there to help you out. Teachers like when you ask them questions, go figure. They’re plenty interested in sharing their knowledge on their subjects, and you’ll make them feel like they’re doing a good job too.

You can always turn to your textbook for more review, but sometimes it takes people, not paper, for adequate explanation. Other students can be big helpers too, just as long as they’re not as confused as you are. Fellow students might not have the vast knowledge a teacher holds, but they can explain things in different terms since they’re, like you, still learning the material. Some subjects and material allow for difference interpretations, and other students can deliver insights that textbooks and even teachers cannot. Ask another student not only about the challenging material, but how he went about learning and comprehending it. Gain a fresh perspective, receive a deeper understanding, and go forth feeling good about that next exam.