Textbooks..AHH!

So I decided to look up my textbooks for next semester..whoa! At least I'm gonna order them off Amazon and my roommate and I are sharing two. Why do textbooks cost so much? Is it because there are so many people that collaborate on them? Or is it "big business" as it's best. Last semester I paid about $300 bucks for my books and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will do better and not spend more than $180. The only reason I am getting by this good is because my bff is giving me one book and the halvesies with the roomie is great!

Also, isn't it ridiculous that they charge FEES! Tuition is reasonable...I guess, at $2,443 per semester. I have decided to try out an online course and they are stamping a $48 fee to my tuition for it. I mean, I won't even be taking up space on campus! The professor doesn't even have to show up anywhere! What is up with that?

Today's list features the crappy part about college:

• TUITION. I don't know about you, but I am still used to the free public school system I was in for 13 yrs... and all of the sudden its thousands of dollars just to go to school! Crazy!
• LIVING EXPENSES. I found a pretty good deal, my own b-room, furnished, walking distance to campus. Still yet there's rent, water, electricity, and food to be bought every month!
• BOOKS. Again, I am used to public schools. I never had to pay for a book! Now I'm shelling out $60 for ONE!
• THAT OTHER STUFF. Yeah. Gas, car insurance, car payments, cell phone bills, don't go away just because your going to college.

Before you are totally bummed out by my negativeness, the GOOD most definitely outweighs the BAD in this particular situation. The freedom and what is learned at college is well worth all the freakin' money that's paid for it. And besides: "You can't take it with you when you go." and "It's an investment to your future." I hope that is true because I'm gonna have to make a lot of money to make up for what I will spend the next three years!

Peace, Love, and thanks for reading,

a.marsh

**Quote of the day: "When autumn comes and it doesn't ask. It just walks in where it left you last. You never know when it starts, until there's fog around the glass inside your summer heart." -John Mayer.