Affordable Textbooks!

Dear Caytrin,

I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to write to you about one of your biggest expenses in your college career: your textbooks.  Textbook prices have continued to increase.  Many professors are aware of this and try to choose books or use older editions to help students out.  Others seem to be oblivious to book prices and students find themselves shelling out $200 on books for one class! To keep that from happening, give some of these ideas a try. 

1.      The Library.  Visit the university library.  Many textbooks are available on the shelves of the library.  Check the catalog to see if a copy of your text is there.  If it isn’t there consider an interlibrary loan.  Libraries share their materials from city to city and across state lines. You’d be surprised and what you can get by just asking.  Don’t forget to try the public library.  Chances are they won’t have too many technical books on their shelves, but they can get you what you need via interlibrary loans. 

 

2.      Buy used.  Your university bookstore and textbooks sellers close to campus almost always have used textbooks.  You can save about 30% off the new prices when you buy used.  The key is to buy early; the used textbooks go quickly. 

3.      Amazon.  Barnes and Noble.  Powell’s Books.  Once you have scored your schedule for the semester, check with the university bookstore to find out the titles, authors, and editions of the various textbooks you will need.  Then visit one of the previously mentioned electronic booksellers to see what they have available.  If you have the time to wait for shipping, you can often find textbooks for as low as $5. 

4.      Rent your textbooks.  Not all university bookstores participate in textbook rentals, but you should always check and see. 

5.      Buy directly from a friend and cut out the middle man, I mean the bookstore!  When you buy a textbook for $75 and sell it back to the bookstore they only pay you a fraction of the original price.  If the book is going to be used by the same classes in the next semester you’re likely to get a little bit more for the books, but if the text will not be used till the following fall semester, you’re out of luck and they’ll offer you $5. If you’re lucky.  They then turn around and sell that book to the next semester’s students at a used rate of about $50.  And the cycle continues.  Cut out the middle man.  If the bookstore offers you $5 for the used book and you know they’re going to sell it for $50 to your friend, offer to sell it to your friend for $25.  You make $20 more and she saves $25.  It’s a win-win. 

6.      Book Swap.  At the largest of the three universities I have attended the Student Senate hosted a book swap based loosely on the idea above.  What if you are the only one of your friends in biology?  Well, you won’t have anybody to buy your books.  With this in mind, the Student Senate got together and students wrote their name and price on a card in the cover of the book and all the books went on giant cafeteria tables.  Other students then came up and picked out what they needed.  The students selling made more than they ever could selling back to the bookstore and the students buying saved more too!  Does your university host something like this? 

7.      Consider buying an older edition (Note: This does not work well if your professor gives you homework from the textbook.  However, if you are mostly discussing in class and writing papers, this may be the way to go!).  I am teaching a science class for elementary school teachers.  I have used the textbook in question off and on over the past ten years. I have copies of the third, fourth, and fifth editions.  I was told that I needed to use that textbook for my course where I am teaching now.  Of course, I complied. A student and I were later talking and I said something about how ridiculous the cost of that paperback science textbook was at $95.  She laughed and told me it was $120 in the bookstore.  I nearly choked!  I quickly informed her she could use the previous edition!  Chances are you won’t be able to buy the previous edition from the bookstore, but you can buy them from the online booksellers mentioned in #3.  If you chose to do this, always let your professor know that you are using a different edition (because of financial considerations).  Additionally, you will want to make certain that you compare the syllabus and reading assignments to the chapters in your different edition.  Often times a new edition has a few new citations, perhaps a new chapter, and many times, the chapters have been reorganized. 

8.      Borrow the book from your professor.  Nearly every one of your professors wants you do to do well in his or her class and understands the correlation between having the materials for class and success in the course.  Professors often get desk copies from publishers and they sometimes have more than one copy on their shelves.  Take for instance the science textbook I mentioned above.  I have two copies of 5^th edition and two copies of the 4^th edition.  So far this semester I am using one and have shared two of the three extras to students who have come to see me.  The only difficult part of this suggestion is asking.

9.      Book share.  This suggestion should only be done with someone you trust and live relatively close to (say say dorm or apartment complex).  You will need to create a schedule for sharing the textbook and stick to it.  You can see the possibility for troubles with this suggestion.  But my sister and I have successfully shared texts (She studied wayyy more than I ever did.) as did my friend Alayne and I during our doctoral program. You can make it work.

10.  Look for an online edition of the textbook.  Many textbooks are available for free or for a reduced fee online.  You may not think you enjoy reading an HTML document or a pdf, but if it saves you $130 that semester, it may change your mind! 

It is summer and you have time to consider saving money on your books for fall.  I strongly urge you to read, consider, and share the above mentioned suggestions.  I suggest that you seriously consider item #8.  You may not have met the professor of record for your fall classes yet, but you know me.  If you happen to be taking classes that I teach or have taught, I may have those textbooks on my shelf. 

I hope these suggestions help, my dear!  And here’s to another successful year! 

Love,
Kat

Making Friends in College

Dear Caytrin,

Today marks your first full week at college and while you have been super busy with a whirlwind of activities, I wonder if you are worried about making friends in college. I wanted to take a minute to share my thoughts with you on making friends. I have lived in at least six different geographical locations and attended three different colleges and worked at another three colleges in my adult life (say the past twenty years!). I know what it is like to start over and to be the new kid on the block. With this in mind, I created Kat's Top 10 Ways to Make Friends in College (or any new situation) just for you!

Kat's Top 10 Ways to Make Friends in College

1. Give Yourself Time:

This is important, Trin. Give yourself time to make friends. Lifelong friends take a lifetime to make.

2. Extend Yourself:

This one is a difficult one for shy folks, but with practice it becomes easier. Be open to meeting new folks, but don't assume that they will be drawn to your magnetic personality and start a conversation with you. Go out of your way to begin a friendly conversation with someone. Ask someone where she got her fabulous knee socks. Ask another if she has ever been to one of the football games on campus and what should you expect for your first game. Notice things about the people around you and use those things as conversation starters. I was standing in line for last minute orientation with several hundred other folks who missed all of the summer orientations. Class started in two days. We had yet to make our schedules (Does this sound familiar?). As I was standing in line looking at all of the other incoming freshman, transfer students, and graduate students I noted a woman who was about 20 years older than me. She looked like a teacher. So I struck up a conversation and asked if she was a teacher and starting a masters in education. She replied that she was there with her daughter who was transferring from New Mexico (to Arkansas) and was coincidentally and undergraduate in the teacher education program. She stepped to the side and introduced me to Shannon. With 20 years behind us and another 40 (or more) ahead of us, we are lifelong friends.

3. Take Look At Your Classmates:

Your classmates are in the same boat you are in. You are at a university that boasts over 4,000 freshman this year. I can guarantee that no matter how excited, bored, happy, frustrated, apathetic, or oblivious you think a classmate "looks" he or she has likely felt the same way you have at one time or another. See #2 and "extend yourself." During the beginning of my masters degree I felt isolated. I didn't know the professors as my undergraduate degree came from another institution. I didn't know my peers since they were mostly teachers in the public schools where I had just recently moved. It seemed that everyone had bonded outside of class and our degree program. And then I met Alayne. I had noted she was in another one of my classes and she happened to be carrying one my favorite books, The Giver by Lois Lowery. I leaned over one day before class and asked her if it was her first time reading The Giver. She laughed and said no, she was rereading it. So we quickly launched a debate about the main character and whether or not he actually survived the story. Me being the dark one and Alayne being so full of hope we argued about this fictional boy's fate for years. We still argue even though she was right, there have been subsequent books detailing his adventures. Alayne and I continued our studies together several years after our masters degrees when we began our doctoral programs together. We are life-long friends.

4. Form Study Groups:

Studying in social settings is more helpful than you might think. Not only is it a good way to meet new folks, but it is also good for your Grade Point Average. Whether you feel confident in a class or completely lost, joining a study group will help you make connections with other. It is how I met your father. Your dad and I were in the same biology class. Several of us had formed an informal study group at the large table in the biology building. One day I looked up and across the table and met your dad's eyes. You know how beautiful his eyes are because you have them! We became instant friends. Through marriages, births of our children, divorces, and remarriage your dad and I have been friends. He is a lifelong friend.

5. Investigate Extracurricular Activities and Share Your Hobbies:

I have already watched you do this. You have investigated the clubs on your campus and your biggest trouble has been narrowing your interests down into a doable schedule. Keep this up. Hike, canoe and camp with the outdoor activity club, volunteer to decorate for the Fall Fling, consider becoming political and joining the student senate. Visit the local yarn shop and sign up for free knitting lessons. You will be surprised at the number of folks you will meet. I have never played basketball outside of high school P.E. class. But my sophomore year in college I found myself taking stats for the intramural basketball and pickleball teams. I had a great deal of fun and made a few really good friends.

6. Explore New Cultures and Be Open to New Ideas:

You're on a huge college campus. Most large universities have variety of ethnic groups and they're always hosting an event! I grew up in a small town. Smaller even than the town you grew up in. I went to a tiny college. We only had about 250 freshman compared to your 4,000+. So it wasn't until I moved to St. Louis and later when I began my Ph.D. that I found myself in a place where I could explore new cultures. During my first teaching experience as an assistant professor I made friends with several Indian students. These students know how to party and are some of the most hospitable folks in the world. Additionally, the International Student Association on campus would host a spring dinner where students created dishes from their countries. Tickets were affordable, the food was amazing, and the talent show was always a blast.

7. Look Around Your Dormitory or Apartment Complex:

Dorms and residential living communities are designed to promote friendships. You have a roommate and two more suite-mates; a pod of four already. Chances are the Community Assistants or Residents' Assistants will be planning all sorts of activities to get you OUT of your room and into the community. Make it a point to attend some of these social events. And consider meeting folks down the hall or on other floors of your dorm. You have twelve of them!

8. Help Others When You Sense They Need Help

Caytrin, you are one of the most sensitive and caring individuals I have met. Keep your eyes open. Do you see that a classmate needs help solving that math problem? Does one of your community members need help with carrying her laundry? Does someone just need you to listen to them? Offering to help others out is another way to meet folks and begin making those bonds that lead to friendship.

9. Break Bread:

This might possibly be my favorite for I feel when you break bread with another person a special bond is formed. Invite someone to lunch. See #6 and #2 and ask a classmate where you can get the best curry or sushi and invite them to come along to help navigate the menu. The bonds formed during a meal are strong. This is why I always try to break bread with my classes at least once a semester. It helps them bond with one another as well as with me, their instructor.

10. Focus on Quality vs. Quantity:

All you need is one good friend.

And there are my thoughts, Miss Caytrin. I cannot wait to hear about your adventures. Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Kat

Google Docs

Dear Caytrin,

Greetings! This is your first installment of "Things I Wish I Had Known or Had Access to as a College Student!". Some of these missives will be long and detailed (as I am wordy and like to hear myself talk/type!). Some of these will be short and sweet. All of them will be most useful (of course!) to your studies and well-being!

Today I would like to introduce you to Google Docs. You may have used it in the past, but if you have not, I'd like you to spend about 15 minutes taking a peek at Google Docs. I ask my students if they have ever wished they had 'emailed' a copy of their assignment to themselves (a great way to have an 'electronic back-up' of a document back in the day) the day before their computers crashed and they accidentally washed their thumb drive. I always have a few who nod sagely- former students of experieince.

So what is or are Google Docs? It is a free, web-based, wordprocessor and place to store your documents provided by the great folks at Google. They also have software for the creation of presentations, forms, spreadsheets, and more! It's a great tool for folks who have computers without expensive wordprocessor programs on them and need to provide electronic documents for courses or their work. It's a great place to back up course work for each and every semester. And it is an amazing collaborative tool. It allows you to share documents (or spreadsheets or presentations) with anyone or no one. You can give folks permisison to read the documents, to edit them, or to even help create that group paper you have to write before midterm! The best part of Google Docs is that you an access your files from anywhere you have Internet access. The link below will take you to a brief video describing Google Docs.

 

But the next link is more of a youthful look at what Google Docs can do. It always makes me smile! Watch it twice and smile for me.

 

Visit the Google Docs site (https://docs.google.com) to get started! You don't need a Gmail Account, but I'd suggest getting one (Or reviving your old one!) since there are so many other helpful tools available to you via Google.

Have a great first week, Brilliant Girl!

Love,

Kat