January 6th, 2009
Yay for Chaucer!
Chaucer
I start my Chaucer class at NCSU tomorrow, and I’m pumped! This will be my first senior-level class and I’m expecting a lot of work … but I’m also expecting some great discussions and assignments.
Am I a nerd for looking forward to school so much? It’s ironic … in my first stint in university back in 1993, I couldn’t wait to get out and start working. Now that I work full-time, I can’t wait to be back in school. And isn’t there some relevant old saying about green grass that applies to this? 
I’ve also had my first really negative buying experience with half.com. I always buy my textbooks online, as I believe university bookstores are a ridiculous monopoly that exist only because of student apathy and laziness. I ordered both textbooks on half.com back in the second week of December; one arrived within a few days, but the other book is still outstanding, and the seller is not responding to my inquiries. I’m sure I’ll be able to get a refund, but it still leaves me sans textbook. I’ll swing by Barnes and Noble tonight to see if I can get it through them; otherwise I’ll have it expedited through Amazon.com (and it’ll still be cheaper than buying it from the university ripoff department, AKA the bookstore).
You know, I used Amazon. But I remember there was always one book each semester that I couldn’t get online. So I had to buy from the school bookstore (now conveniently operated by Barnes & Noble). The books were usually written by one of IUPUI’s faculty and published in limited quantities by some no-name press. The bookstore never had enough on hand, of course, and you could count on about five students never getting their hands on a copy.
I don’t miss school as much as I did ten minutes ago.
I’m sure you’ll do just fine in this Chaucer class, considering how you made that ENG 326 class your prison ladyfriend.
That reminds me, I still need to buy my books. I usually wait to see if I’m going to stick with a class before I get the books, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t at least buy the books for the classes I know I’m sticking with.
I looked them up at the bookstore the other night, total cost = $409 and change, and that’s buying used as much as possible. I’m betting I can save at least $200 large by purchasing online.
Check out http://www.alibris.com/ … I’ve used them several times in the past and have found they have competitive prices. Have fun!