Hit the Books Early!

ESU's bookstore is located on the bottom floor of the University Center. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
ESU's bookstore is located on the bottom floor of the University Center. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
ESU’s bookstore is located on the bottom floor of the University Center.
Photo Credit / Amy Lukac

By Amy Lukac
Opinion Editor

When do you buy your college textbooks? Many students wait for their classes to start to order their books.

This could be a good idea, but only if your class isn’t actually going to use the textbook. For the most part though, you are going to be using the book that your new professor requires you to buy.

There are different places you can buy your books other than the school store. Amazon.com always has 98 percent of the books that I need. Chegg.com and Ebay.com also have a number of college textbooks.

The goal is to start hunting for the best price as soon as you find out what books you’ll need.

I’ve seen a lot of students wait too long, and they end up on waitlists for their books, or they scramble frantically looking for the book they need by quiz day.

Some professors give their students time to get the required books when the semester officially starts, but other like to get started right away.

Don’t assume your professor is going to give you time! Be prepared with your books, and then you’ll be ready for the semester to start!

East Stroudsburg University’s bookstore is open for you to visit all summer, so you can go buy your books whenever you wish.

The college bookstore also has an online shop where you’re able to search and purchase your books and then choose to either pick them up when they are prepared for you at the school, or get them shipped to your home.

One of the useful parts on the ESU bookstore website is the price display.

When you choose a new book to buy or rent, they will show you the exact price. You’re also able to choose the used books and see the price differences.

Amazon.com has hundreds of college textbooks for you to pick from. By putting the ISBN number in the search bar, you usually get these options: buy new, buy used, rent new, rent used.

Renting from Amazon is normally cheaper than renting from the bookstore, and they give you a good amount of grace time to send them back, for free!

Also, when you either rent or buy used, the books are obviously cheaper, but in great shape. Ebay.com allows you to buy textbooks new or used.

There isn’t a renting option, but sometimes the books are listed much cheaper than anywhere else. That is a plus considering how expensive college textbooks actually are.

D2L allows you to see what textbooks you need. Use that to your advantage!

While you’re in your portal checking to see if your loans finally went through, click on over to find out what books you need.

You’ll feel relieved after you purchase them earlier before you are desperate. Who knows?

Another good thing about Amazon, Ebay, and other college textbook websites, is the fact that you are able to sell them back!

Spending a large sum of money on textbooks for college can really be a downer, but if you buy them used and are able to sell them back, it’s a win-win!

You probably wont be able to get the full amount you paid back, but a chunk of change is better than nothing!

Getting a head start on buying your books, and maybe even skimming through some of them won’t hurt! Get familiar with the class you’re about to take, and start a little early!

Maybe there will be a novel for one of your literature classes that you’ll need to read. If you are able to buy it early enough, get a head start and read it on the beach!

Email Amy at:
alukac@live.esu.edu