Textbooks Cost How Much? (Things I Forgot About College)

Having been out of school for over seven years now, I am realizing there are a lot of elements you gloss over with fond nostalgia for late night parties and time with your friends. I got a little bit of reminder today that student life is more than that.

I received my first class syllabus today for my class in Human Relations Management. In reading the outline, I was very excited to look through the class objectives as I am looking forward to strengthening my understanding of HR, including the legal regulations and systems that go along with it. In the past these are areas I have primarily been self taught in. 

Also listed were my textbooks. I recall textbooks being insanely expensive, but even I had intense sticker shock on a $260 book from Pearson (I just completed doing a one-page informational debrief of this company for an employer - very interesting company that I suggest you at least Google to understand the balance between commercialized and public education - along with where the education industry is heading). Luckily there are other options this day-in-age (which just made me feel old), including eTextbooks. Still, it was a rude awakening (This is just the first book! There are more to come!) of one of the not so fun things about student life. 

If you have been in school recently, where did you get your books? Did you find e-books helpful in lightening your backpack? (Reminder: I am having to travel with this to France, so lightness is key. On the other hand, should I order it once I am there? How does French Amazon work?!)

Then this evening my sister, who is finishing up her BA, asked for my assistance on a paper for her Shakespeare class. With my background in theater, it made sense - but boy did I forget how challenging such prompts can be! For my entire professional career I have worked hard to hone my writing craft. It was fun reading the assigned prompt and seeing how so many school assignments aim to teach you writing skills that translate directly into developing skills necessary to thrive in the professional world. I had not looked at a school assignment in years, but was able to provide pointers that directly related to how I coach people to write grants: 1) Make sure to closely read the prompt, and answer the full question. 2) Make sure you provide two to three examples of data/proof for each statement. Those teachers are so clever! Teaching us things we actually need to know, without us even noticing!

While I can articulate thoughts about Shakespeare pretty easily (I used to fall asleep with my mother's red, leather bound copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare in middle school - while I did read all of them, I swear osmosis helped too) I know that writing about subjects like HR will be entirely new to me. 

Tonight I am going to bed still feeling excited, but also sobering up to many of the realities of student life. What areas have you suppressed or glossed over when it comes to college life?

(Enjoy this photo of me and my sister circa May 2011 - We don't see each other often, but I imagine this is what we would look like if we were working on an essay in the same place)