If you're like me, you have a bit of trouble when packing for school. You're indecisive, you second guess yourself, and you end up packing way too many things. This goes doubly for books. They call out to you from your bookshelves. You try desperately to sort through them to decide which are coming with you. You debate whether it's really practical to take all of them. Packing a suitcase solely for books doesn't seem like such a crazy idea after a while. How much of your TBR (to be read) should you take? But you can't just take your TBR, because then what about your favorites? They can't just be left behind and neglected while you're at school (though they probably will be neglected at school, too, because college keeps you pretty busy). This isn't even including all the textbooks you have to pack and find a place for in your closet-sized dorm room!
To bring aid to the struggling, college bound book dragon, here's a short list of the kinds of books you should take to school with you.
1. The Quick Read
Time yourself! This is the book that takes you an hour or less to read. Whether that's because it's short or because it just flies by, this is the book you'll read during study breaks. This is the book you'll read right before you go to sleep because you have a 9 a.m. class in the morning. You can even read it while doing your laundry, because you're still being productive while doing laundry (that's my excuse, anyway). This is another book that you can read over and over again. Which is great, because you just might (reading time during college can be scarce, so you take it where you can get it). This book is usually fun and lighthearted, but it doesn't have to be. It's just meant to be a brief respite from the endless amount of things you have to do.
2. The Project
Oh hell, this book. This is the book that's been sitting among your TBR pile since the beginning of time. For some reason, you've just never gotten around to reading it. It's probably still in perfect condition because it's never been read. You don't understand why you haven't read it yet, because you were so excited to start it when you got it! But whether it was life getting in the way or you just plum forgot about it, this book remains dormant. Starting this book will be a relief, a feeling that can sometimes be hard to come by at school. You'll feel accomplished when you finally finish it. Maybe that feeling of accomplishment can help spur you to write that paper early. And if it doesn't: hey, at least you read a good book!
3. The Escape Artist
You know the one: the book with such a rich world, with such interesting characters and a plot for the ages, that you get lost in it. Sometimes you almost forget that you're reading. It's almost as if the book has swallowed you whole, like you've jumped straight into the narrative and are living it right alongside your favorite characters. It makes you cry, it makes you laugh out loud, and it can even make you irrationally angry. That's how good and immersive this book is. This is the book you'll read when everything just becomes too much and you need to get away from it all. You'll find a nice, quiet spot to be alone. You'll get as comfortable as you know how to be without falling asleep, and you'll travel to another world. Trust me, having such a convenient escape will be vital. Just use this power wisely.
4. The Nostalgic
It's sitting on your shelf, and may or may not have been touched in the last ten years. This is the favorite book from your childhood. It could be a picture book. It could be your first chapter book. It is the book that you read as a kid and never seemed to put down. Despite that fact that you've probably outgrown it, you could never bring yourself to give it away. This book will serve as a reminder. It'll be a reminder of a much simpler time in your life. It'll be a reminder to hold onto some of that childhood wonder and imagination. Remember what it was like to run as fast as you can just because you could. To laugh with complete abandon. To spin in circles until you fell over and the world spun instead. Having this book in your dorm room will help you remember to never lose that part of yourself.
5. The Comfort Book
I love this book. This book is your go-to book when you're stressed, sad, overwhelmed, or just in need of a quick escape. It's practically falling apart from the amount of times you've read it. The pages have been dog-eared once or twice because you just couldn't find a bookmark. You could recite most (if not all) of the book by heart. We all know the one. We may have other favorites, but this is the book you read when you lost that job, when you failed that one test, after your last breakup. Reading this book feels like talking to an old friend. When you're going through the hardest time of your life so far, when you're so overwhelmed you feel like crying, you'll be glad to have this book by your side. It'll always be there for you when you need it.
