As the semester begins, college students everywhere wait with baited breath to see just how expensive their textbooks will be. Textbooks, in my opinion, are so ridiculously overpriced and also have terrible resale potential since new editions for many subjects, are released every year. This year, as I gazed upon my list and tried to read through my tears and money flying out of my bank account, these were some thoughts I had, that I think you may have this textbook buying season:

1. Is this thing made of gold?

With prices like these, you’d think that the pages were laced with gold and the i’s dotted with diamonds.

2. Is it designer?

Looking at a $300 textbook really makes you wonder if Kanye West, Louis Vuitton or some other designer landed their artistry to this book.

3. Do I really NEED to take this class?

Book prices can really make you question why you’re even there.

4. I wonder if I can find another elective without any textbooks…

You may seriously start to wonder if you can find another class needed to graduate that doesn’t have books. Only online articles.

5. Maybe it’ll be useful for the rest of college.

Not likely.

6. I really miss high school.

The days of free textbooks (albeit old and worn) are long gone.

7. Was this book so unpopular that they need to break even with these prices?

You may start to wonder if your class forces you to buy these books just because no one else has.

8. Maybe they’ll be someone in class who can share…

You’ll almost never want to be best friends with every kid with a textbook more than this moment.

9. Do we REALLY need the textbook?

And then after glancing the syllabus, you’ve begrudgingly realize that you do.

10. We better use this more than once.

For most classes, you probably will! However for some...yeah, not really. Sorry.

Those are the thoughts you might have while buying textbooks! My advice would be to try looking for alternatives like renting them via your bookstore, websites like Amazon, Chegg and Slugbooks (a website that will compare as many sites as it can to which has the cheapest price). Sometimes you may even be able to borrow a friend’s book or snatch a pdf. Whichever way you choose to get the book, I wish you the best luck this coming book buying season. May your books always be cheap and the pdfs be plenty.