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Monday, June 22, 2009

S&M Bedding and a Book Crisis

At the present time, we ("we" meaning "actually just me... alone") are facing the following problems regarding my future college dormitory:
--I don't find out which part of campus/which building I'll be living in until July, and I don't meet the girl with whom I'll be sharing a closet-sized room until we move in.
--I can't find cheetah-print XL twin bedsheets for the life of me, which is putting a damper on the Mimi Marquez-themed decor I've been planning. And honestly, if cheetah is that hard to come by, where'll I ever find blue vinyl and black pleather?!
--I have the legitimate desire to live in a room decorated like the costume of an HIV-positive, S&M-dancing fictional character from a 1990s musical.
--My bookshelf is only big enough to house about a sixth of the books I'd like to have with me for a year.

At the present time, these are the books I'm convinced I cannot live without:
--The Harry Potter series. I'm thinking I'll take the British children's paperbacks, as they're smallest and all the same size. The downside is that they're more a collection than they are reading copies, and I absolutely could not let anyone borrow them. (What if the spines were bent? Gasp!)
--The Tales of Beedle the Bard. For reference and homesickness.
--Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series. Part of me is mature enough to say I should take with me only Perfect Fifths, and if I feel the insatiable need to reread the first four, I can always wait until a vacation when I'll actually have the time. The other part of me, however, cringes at the thought of being anywhere for an extended period of time without them.
--John Green's three novels. These are, without a doubt, necessary. I'll take the three paperbacks to conserve space, I think... but there's no way I'll ever lend out my battered paperback Looking for Alaska or my advanced copy of Paper Towns. Maybe I should bring my least-valued copy of each? Thoughts?
--The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson.
--The Complete Works of Shakespeare. This is definitely just for show, as the print is tiny and I don't think I've ever once read out of it for fun, but I bet I'll be required to buy specific versions of plays for classes, and it would be stupid to have two paperback Hamlet copies with me. But it's not like I can take that risk without a backup plan.
--J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.
--Jaclyn Moriarty's Year of Secret Assignments.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Le Petit Prince."

In total, that's... twenty-one books, and about three of them are humongous. What are your thoughts on the subject? I suppose both Billy Shakes and Emily are available online... and the chances of me rereading any Harry but Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows are slim... but I just don't know. Choosing one love over another has never been a strong suit of mine. I feel like Tom is asking me to organize my babies into a Top 8.

On a semi-related note, I bought two 16" x 20" poster frames at Walmart yesterday, and I'm going to fill them with photographs for my dorm walls. None of my friend are the real Posin' 4 Pix type, so it's suddenly becoming apparent how few pictures there are of all of us-- especially without one or two people making a stupid face. I do have a blown-up version of the fiveawesomegirls photo, though. I'm excited for that. I can just imagine the conversation my future roommate will have on the phone the day we move in: "My roommate has pink hair, is covered in contrasting animal print, and has pictures on the walls of people she met on the internet."

Siiiigh. Such is the life. :)

Chipotle burritos this year: 22
S'mores this summer: 2, plus a severely disappointing s'more-flavored Poptart
Subscribers: 17,458

Bye, guys! Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow. <3

96 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are amazing Hayley.

Scott said...

I brought about half of my book collection to university with me, most of them because I couldn't bare to be away from them. For example, Harry Potter was on my shelf, I didn't read them all year (except for the occasional point-of-referance type deal), but it made me feel more me, and more home-like to have them there. John Green also made the list, as did Lemony Snicket, Billy Shakes, the complete collection of Robert Frost poems, along with some trashy drug store novels which were set in a hospital- basically watered down Grey's Anatomy.

I say bring your books, and whatever else will make you feel comfortable. First year is a LOT of fun, but it's also a giant dose of culture shock. We all need our security blankets, which for a select few of us, are bound pieces of flattened trees.

Scott said...

Oh - And bring your time turner. That was the conversation piece that led to one of my new best friends. It's like a shining beacon of hope for finding friends who know the difference between contractions and possessive adjectives.

Alex said...

When I need space in my room, I usually ask these three questions:
"Should someone else have it?'
"Do I absolutely it?"
"Is it worth cluttering my room or not?"

There you have it...

And I was just thinking... Since you are practically famous, you should have a website. If you would like one, just ask me. It would be made on a mac.

Jenny said...

Eh, I have the same problem with photos of my friends! It's come to the point where whenever I meet up with the person I'm going out with I make sure I take a picture just so we actually have a few pictures of us.

You can get all of Shakespeare online as well!

Kara Olenick said...

I brought every single book I own with me. As an aspiring librarian, I couldn't bear to be away from a single one of them. :P

Elizabeth... said...

I am having a very similar book dilemma deciding what I'll take.
Probably any of the books I own that I haven't read.
My John Green books clearly.
I'm even considering leaving Potter at home because there is more chance Hazel will kill me if I take them.
I feel I should leave all my signed books at home too for safekeeping.
But that'd mean leaving Northern Lights and that's one book I can read over and over.
Sigh, I hope to sort it out soon but seeing as I don't know what type of shelves I'll even have I should really limit them...
Also I have felt for a while I should buy a complete set of Billy S but alas I haven't.
(I know one thing, I'm not leaving my sonic screwdriver at home)

Natasha said...

You can always keep Shakespeare under the bed - just wrapped in plastic wrap first. Unless you think he'd be offended by that... But I don't think he'd mind.

Ava said...

Bed Bath and Beyond also have this awesome compact stacking cube set.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15164905&RN=537&BTSMode=true&

I have one and love it because it easy separates and then you can put less important but wanted/needed books in one and have it a bit more tucked away. Also great for food!! :D

KimbraSaysRawr said...

I had the EXACT same problem when it came to books.
I took all 7 Harry Potters with me, along with The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through The Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The complete Chronicles of Narnia (I have a book with all 7 books in it, so its fairly large).
And a few classics that are just for show really, but I might actually read them.
I ended up with two decent boxes full, and I have to fit them all on my four shelved bookcase also.
Its a rough decision, but all of the books you named sound necessary, so go for it! : D
Also, I would reccomend that you attempt to put all of them on the bookshelf before you move out, then pack them all up; this will save you time and frustration.
Good luck, Hayley!

Nicholas said...

I'd die if I had to move somewhere with only 20something books... well not die, but a part of me would.

If you take the complete poems of E.D. you have the essentials ;) then... I don't know. Make room for more books and just cram the place meant for studying? These are problems too great to fix over the internet :D

alyson said...

I actually brought a lot of the same books with me when I moved into my dorm room last summer. Since then the pile of books has grown...a lot. So I feel your pain.

Take the less cherished John Green books. Things happen.

Brad said...

I wouldn't take anything too collectable with you. Things have a way of disappearing in shared dorm rooms.

Gavin said...

Oh Haley, The Little Prince... My friend gave me a copy of that maybe 5 years ago and I think a week later it was lost. I read it, then it vanished... I'm actually a little sad thinking about this, I loved that book.

Oh and very sorry to hear about the severely disappointing s'more-flavored Poptart, nothing more disappointing than food that lets you down.

A.J. James said...

My sugeestion is to have a revolving selection, the six years I was in the military i lived in Dorms and coul never fill a bookshelf the way I wanted... and for te record I agree s'mores pop-tarts are FTL...

toastburntbread said...

The Year of Secret Assignments is one of my (if not number one) favorite books of all time. I am very happy you are taking it to college with you, for I'm sure I will do the same.
and HEY! You have your very own Seb!

ThePeterIs said...

You NEED to take the Harry Potters with you. I didn't for my first year of college, and it was a major drag. And as far as which copies, definitely bring the less collectible copies. A copy that is special to you should stay guarded at home.
Oh, and as far as stuff in general, don't bring that much. I didn't bring much to college and really never needed it. I only took things like my guitar, computer, and clothes and never missed all the random knickknacks and junk laying around my home room at all.

Caitlin said...

My roommate freshman year had pink hair, and I loved her.

Caitlin said...

Oh yeah. Bring all your books. I did. Living without Harry or John Green for long is probably impossible.

Gina said...

Oh, I so know what you are going through.
Well ok, not with the pleather and leopard print sheets (I haven't even STARTED looking for bedding yet! Eek!), but with the whole roommate thing.
I'm starting college in the fall too and to make it worse, my school has a kind of roommate-matching system where you have to send messages to people to make them like you and be your roommate. So I have to find some way to ask my potential roommate if she is Harry Potter/internet friendly without scaring her away with my Harry Potter/internet obsession. We'll see how that goes.
Good luck in the leopard-sheet quest!

Xylona said...

Hm. I wonder which would be worse - a roommate who thinks you're a complete freak because of your obsessions and youtube life... or a roommate who has watched all of your youtube videos and is a total fangirl, and sorta obsessed with you. Hahaha. :)

Ravenclaw2313 said...

So i'm personally a bit of a book addict. At home I have a shelf that covers the entire wall and each shelf is filled two deep with books. This level of devotion is sadly impossible in a dorm. As sad as it is bringing my favorite books is impossible. This is especially true since I have this horrible habit of visiting bookstores, and I can never leave without a new addition.

My solution is pretty simple, I rotate. I bring the fewest amount of books I can't live without (usually Potter and John Green) and then I bring 8-10 new books that I haven't read yet (or not in a long time). I go home about once every two months and rotate read books for new ones and grab the ones I've been gushing about to show off to my friends.

I realize that this might not solve your dilemma, especially if you're not like me, with a pile of new unread books a mile wide. However, I've found that rotating your collection will remind you of favorites you've forgotten (like shuffle on an ipod).

Anonymous said...

Goodness... I think that's one of the only reasons I don't want college life to get here. Confession: My copy of Song Of Myself has been in my shelf for show for the past 4 years, and I never actually acknowledged its existence until Paper Towns came out. Now I brag to everyone I know that I "had the book since before Margo". But you know....it's all lies. X)

brnh said...

I highly recommend makeshift bookshelves from crates. Your book collection is only going to increase so find a way to get more shelf space early on. I used plain milk crates when I went to college (collected from the summer camp I worked at). Crates have the benefit of being packing material instead of something to be packed. Huge at the end of the year. My roommate used those stacking cubes, but make sure you have a rubber mallet or something.

Whatever your storage solution, bring the books that comfort you. Every fall, I reread the Chronicles of Narnia, and every winter, I reread Harry Potter. It makes those overwhelming syllabus days much more manageable.

Anonymous said...

oh and I found this leopard-print bedding:

http://www.bedbathstore.com/letwexlobedi.html

Of course, since I've never really shopped for bedding before, I have no clue if it's too expensive or anything....
0.0 *fail*

Natalie said...

How about some Jane Austen- in case you're in a romantic mood :P

Heather Rodriguez said...

Dont take any books with you that you dont want touched or borrowed. Dorm life is not very private.

Leah said...

I eventually adopted a rotating system for my books- bringing a certain few with me for move-in, then bringing (some of) them home for winter break, allowing room for other lovelies in their stead. It's not perfect, but we do what we must.

Another perk to the wedding: lots of pictures where we HAVE to be making actual smiles, because they'll be Preserved Forever. And Sebastian has already proved to be VERY fast with a camera- if you ask him, I'm sure he could take quite a few of us by surprise for artsy candid shots.

Chloe said...

Poster Sized Collages are a great idea! I just finished my freshman and sophmore year ones and everyone loves them and you can always look at them and think about the memories

Sarahalala said...

My thoughts re: books:

1) Like Leah above me, I tend to have a rotating system for books... some (e.g. John Green) stay with me always, and some get rotated out every time I go home. It usually works out ok for me, but sadly I don't have much time to read at university. Oh, and I would recommend taking your less-valued copies...

2) If you are absolutely craving a book you didn't bring with you, perhaps there will be a public library in your city?

3) I love that a Jaclyn Moriarty book made your list!

x0brittx0 said...

are you going to include the pop tart in every count down or just today's?

you could always acronym it.
1 sdsfpt.

also -

http://www.artisticsensations.com/asp/product.asp?maincategoryid=580&catalogid=1074

:)

Rosianna said...

This is my present dilemma as well. I don't find out my accommodation (non-sharing, thankfully) until AUGUST 20th, incidentally the date I find out my A Level results and therefore whether or not Exeter will actually have me. But as I'm away for such a long time this summer, I have started to mentally pack.

- Harry Potters (adult paperback reader copies. The ones that look like they've been thrown through a drainage system). And Beedle, obviously, but not the collectors one because that just would not work.
- LFA (reading copy, aka copy #6)
- Abundance of Katherines reading copy, one of the Paper Towns paperbacks I've preordered and predesignated as a reading copy. Which reminds me, I need to get my ARC back off someone who has had it for FAR TOO LONG
- Works of Shakespeare (more portable of my two complete sets)
- The Penguin Book of English Verse
- W.H. Auden Selected Poems
- The Bell Jar
- Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams
- Backwards in High Heels
- Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
- Penguin mini reference library (made up of about eight dictionaries in various forms)
- Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Kafka's Metamorphosis
- 1984, Down & Out in Paris and London
- Pride and Prejudice
- "Ficciones" by Borges
- The Virgin Suicides
- The History of Love
- The Boyfriend List, The Boy Book
- Stargirl
- Selected Short Stories by H G Wells

I've probably forgotten something.
Oh dear.
Screwed.

Sebastian said...

http://www.bedderbedding.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.display/Product_ID/96

http://www.artisticsensations.com/categories/bedding/Dorm_Bedding_Extra_Long/Extra_Long_Dorm_Animal_Print_Bedding/

http://www.wakeupfrankie.com/Products/342/1260/Sheets,+Pillow+Forms,+Etc+/Cheetah+Print+Sheet+Set

http://www.familybedding.com/shop.php?selectFabric=true&fabricCategoryID=3&fabricID=19&groupID=126510&showProducts=true&customName=XL+Twin+Dorm+Bedding+Comforters%2C+Huggers%2C+Pillows+and+Accessories+with+Cheetah+fabric+and+Black+accent

Sarah said...

I am having the same book problems. My suggestion is take American paperbacks of HP because they are bigger but are as collectible. Or, what I'm doing, is buying the new box set which is only $50 on amazon until it comes out. AND IT HAS A PRETTY BOX! Then, this box can go on your desk or somewhere else if it won't fit on the (awesome) bookshelf you are getting.

About John Green's books, I'd say DON'T TAKE THE ADVANCE COPY! I would be so nervous to let anyone even breathe on that (I'm very paranoid..) so my vote is take hardcover. As for Looking for Alaska, I see if you can find a really cheap paperback on amazon or ebay or a used bookstore or something.

Good luck with figuring all this stuff out!

Kerri French said...

hayley, see if you can get some of those plastic under the bed storage bins...you could store more books there.

also, what about getting a few of those stackable square cubes for book storage? you could find a corner for the cubes or stick them inside your closet to create an impromptu bookshelf!

joy isobel said...

First, the Harry Potter series is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and I'd say that you should bring the normal copies, not British, just so you can lend them out to potential friends. Second, I don't understand why there's any debate upon the John Green books. You absolutely have to bring the signed, tattered copies. Looking at his signature puts me at ease :) Oh man, I have no idea what I'm going to do when I go off to college. I'll probably bring all of them and keep them under my bed.

Christy said...

My heart broke when I first tried a s'more flavored poptart. It didn't really taste like a s'more at all. I was sad.

Cat said...

I hate when the spines bend. Especially when others do it.

Crystal said...

Oh, I know the book crisis well. These are the books I ALWAYS had with me at school:

-Harry Potter
-Catcher in the Rye
-Perks of Being a Wallflower
-John Green's books
-The Giver
-Norwegian Wood
-Blue Monday graphic novel series

It wasn't so much that I was going to be reading them, but more the fact that it was comforting to have them there. Plus, I use a lot of those books for quotes in papers and such.

OH also, ever since I saw your Pink Hair and Angst video, I've been obsessed with the Jessica Darling books. I just started the fourth this morning, and I'm looooving them, so thank you for your unintentional book suggestion!

Unknown said...

Couldn't you just go to the library and check stuff out? Like if you're really dying to read, oh, I dunno, Beedle the Bard, or something, you could just go pick it up at the library.

Also, I dunno if I'd go for all the HP books- in the past when I've taken HP books with me on trips and stuff I never even touch them, so maybe just bring your two favorites, and I'm sure you could find a copy somewhere if you really wanted one you don't have.

ALSO, whenever I go blog, there's always an ad for Trojan condoms now...

KaraDawlish said...

i went to this really cool used book store today to pick up some books friends recomended so i could have some new material read during summer and what not. i remembered you recomended the book "Sloppy firsts" They didn't have it but with out realising untill i got home, i apparently picked out the sequal to it instead. Lol pretty ironic... I don't know what to do with it now, i am bookless once again because i don't want to read it untill i read the first. I know what you mean about the books, even if you highly doubt you are going to reread one of the books you cant NOT bring it, because as soon as you get there, something random will happen and you will need the book! Thata always how it works out for me at least. Other things too not just books!

Hahahahaaaaa when people enter my room for the first time it's always an experience. I usually don't go to crazy shoving youtube/ harry potter down my friends throats so most of them don't know untill they come into my room or run across my youtube/ any social networking site. One of my muggle friends unknowlingly made the mistake of commenting on a pic of me and hank green and got like 20 probably really confusing emails from YT friends who also commented on it. She had no idea...

KaraDawlish said...

I get so flipping off topic :P

It's like instead of writing my own blog i just put it in your comments! Sorry about that!

Katy said...

*looks timidly at bookshelf*

You mean... I can't just take all that to college with me?! How can I live without my McSweeney's Book of Lists?! Or my Vonnegut novels? Or Alan's YouTube book?! or Catcher in the Rye? or Dante's Inferno? John Green's books? Roald Dahl? books on Greek tragedies?

And they honestly expect that I can resist taking all my Dave Eggers and Brian Francis Slattery books??

... college is hard.

Jessica said...

Was that your way of responding to my book recomendation request? Very clever. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

ahaha seriously, i love your blogs.
and john green is a must. i currently have looking for alaska out on loan, but it's so destroyed! it has a jello stain from my friend where i have tear stains.
i cried, she ate some jello and got some rice ready.

catcher in the rye. obvious choice. it's small, and i'm in love with holden's negativity.

le petit prince is just an awesome book.

and you made me SO jealous that i am still in high school man.

That Kid From Brazil said...

What course are you taking at uni, Hayley?

Sajethegirl said...

I found you some sheets! I hope some of them work for you.

http://www.amazon.com/Leopard-Safari-Sheet-Set-Black/dp/B001RP0HWS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245725187&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Ocelot-Safari-Sheet-Set-Brown/dp/B001RPBAM4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245725187&sr=8-3
http://www.amazon.com/Leopard-Print-Sheet-Thread-Count/dp/B0008GRX5G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245725236&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Scent-Sation-100TCBCMXLEO-Charmeuse-Leopard/dp/B00194F37Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245725236&sr=8-3

Allison said...

HOLY FUDGE BALLS.
A Mimi themed dorm room... priceless.
Bring the Harry Potters, of course. And the John Greens.
And the Jessica Darlings.
And...
Oh geez; this is why I'm happy I have 3 years until I have to worry. Sorry if I'm no help.

Kristen said...

mmmm.....I really have no comments on what books are indisposable or needed. However, two thoughts which are slightly irrelevant crossed my mind. 1)What's going to happen to your YouTube channel? I know it's still going to exist, but where are you going to film it? Is it going to be like HaleyGHoover goes to college? Talking of her annoyances she has of her college peers or putting nerdfighter notes in certain books at the library? 2)You only considered the idea that your roommate has no idea who you are, but what if you met her and you find out she's a massive FiveAwesomeGirls fan? Or is a Nerdfighter herself? Okay, that could go either really awesome or compeltely horrible.....kind of reminds me of the Goosebumps choose your own adventure books...nevermind. I written way too much. Here's to you finding those sheets. I'm sure they are somewhere : )

ifmemoryserves said...

I'll have you know that both "Billy Shakes" and the ending of the last paragraph each had me laughing out loud for a good ten seconds straight.

Sarah said...

When I clicked on that link to that cart-thing that you're going to be putting your books on in college, I was like, wait, what?

That thing's a bookshelf? ...Gross.

I mean it'd be nice for other things, just not, um, to put in your room with all the books you want to be with for a whole year. D: I mean, you obviously love books! And that's nightmarish for a book-lover. To pick and choose and then having to be satisfied with all of that for a year.

I think you can cram some stuff onto there if need be, though. For the Harry Potter books--that is one thing that is an exception. If you feel you want all of them there, then they go. You can cover them up with something if you don't want anyone borrowing them.

You're awesome. :)

Anonymous said...

I think you are missing the point of college. The idea is you get to start fresh. Dragging old books and posting photographs of highschool friends doesnt seem the best way to start. I say bring the poster frames and fill them with NEW photos of NEW friends. Also leave the childrens books at home. Good luck with the S&M bed sheets though..haha

Jordan said...

I just want to say that I really, REALLY disagree with the Anonymous person above me. You don't go all tabula rasa when you get to college. You become the person you've always wanted to be- not a new person. And your favorite books and favorite people from your past will always be a part of you.

As far as your shelving dilemma, a lot of commenters have suggested using the school library. That won't really work, because it's not about packing up the books and moving with them, it's about finding space for them when you get there. Library books take up room, too. All I can tell you is good luck.

Heather said...

Ohh dear, can I ever relate. I own a tonne of books. Which I love. I love them so much that I felt that I could not be away from them for an entire school year. It took me AGES to narrow it down to what I deemed to be an acceptable number of absolute cannot-live-without-out-must-take-with-me's. Imagine my horror when I first walked into the dorm room that would be my home for the duration of the next two school years and laid eyes on my new book shelf. Literally SHELF. Singular. One. My school had given me one shelf for all of my books. And there was no room for any extra furniture. So, I ended up sending half of my books home with my parents and spending the next 10 months thinking longingly about those poor lonely novels, living so far away from me.

Sara said...

why can't you be my roommate? I'll bring the HP books and you can bring the John Green books!

On a completely unrelated note, I just saw Bo Burnham at the movies! I completely fangirled, but played it cool since he was in a full sweatsuit with his head down and obviously didn't want to be recognized. Also, I was far too chicken to approach him.

Sara said...

oh, and I'm sure ohio has a great library, and while it isn't the same as your copies, they're still the same on the inside. and the inside's what counts, right?

Kat said...

I took... probably too many books with me to college, but I was glad I had them? Actually, it wasn't that I took too many, but that every time I went home during break I brought more books back. So come June, when I had to fly it all home on a plane, it was a problem. But... having them was worthwhile. It did make me feel at home, and when you want someone to read a book you love, the best method is literally shoving it in their face.

But also keep in mind, your school has a library. A lot of people are not huge nerds (read: awesome like me) and don't use the library for recreational purposes (that sounds sketchy), so books you might want to read have a good chance of being available. The education library at my university has a Juvenile collection (where a shitton of YA was kept), and it was wonderful.

So, yeah, this is me encouraging you to lug a bunch of books to college but also to geek out and search the library catalog before you get there. Also, you don't have to fly back and forth from California to Virginia, so you can always shove your books in a car. And I'm jealous. Is it embarrassing that I miss some of my textbooks from last semester?

anna said...

I'm going through the same book dilemma, except I'll have to travel w/ all my books to Utah. When I said I was bringing all my Potter books, my mom laughed and said, "No, you're not". [Yeah, we'll see about that, Mother] All the John Green material is coming & any book related to tennis. Gahh, such difficult literary decisions . . .

Alex Dahlberry said...

hmm, i say you bring lendable copies of John's books as well. You must never deny someone the luxury of reading his novels, and there is the chance that they wont be in your local library.
Harry Potter...well I'm sure people will find a way to read a copy that is not yours.

And i love how you plan on decorating your room. I wish yuo'd be my roommate.

Anonymous said...

I say keep all of the books that you've listed, but be wary of loaning out books. It's amazing how little respect an 18-20 year-old person can have for another person's property.

The Vagabond said...

I brought both the British childrens and American versions of the HP series... all in hard cover. Kind of crazy, I know, but I actually did start rereading the series while I was away at college. I brought a lot of books with me and bought a lot as well. My roommate probably thought I was crazy.

Kaitlyn w/ a K said...

I always have this problem. I bring too many books, and then I buy tons more when it's time for the evil Book Bazaar. I finally had to force myself to get by with only Harry Potter, John's books, and the books I definitely plan to read during the year. It's still a lot, though.

I too bought the British children's edition Harry Potter books when I was in England, and they made it all the way home in perfect condition. Then I let my roommate borrow OotP, and the front cover is now irreparably bent down the middle. DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!!!

Maria said...

That's not that many books, Hay. Ley. Take them all. They'll provide you more comfort than would, say, makeup or hair products. Also, have you ever read the Nick Bantok series? You could probably go without taking them with you to school, but read them this summer before you leave, if you haven't already. They're short. Lastly, can I come with you?

Franc Castro said...

Can we see the awesome 5AG poster when its framed? I just think that must be pure awesome.

Kate said...

what i had to do with my books is put them in rotation. i brought back different books with me every 2 months.
and that has worked pretty well for the past 2 years.

ps. i sincerely hope that your roommate isn't a complete psycho (my first roommate freshman year took all of her clothes off without warning several times.)

Janelle said...

What a conundrum! I'd definitely take Potter, and I think the paperbacks are a good idea. You're starting out on a new journey - Potter is comfort if it goes badly and exciting if it's everything you hope it will be. However, more likely than not your dorm buddy will probably have a copy whereas with the others they probably won't - so there's one reason to leave it behind! John's books are amazing and I'd definitely take the Shakespeare due to the relevance. Sounds like a good list you've got there and hopefully you can take them all!!

babyporridge. said...

I feel your conundrum, Hayley Darling. I have the same need to have all my loves (book-wise, dvd-wise) with me at all times, despite knowing that the chances of having special time with them are slim to nil.

You know what this makes us? LOVERS. Be mine. xx

loveacrosstheocean said...

I love the s'more count!
also, I vote for bringing all the books you want. nothing gets left behind.

tashiana said...

OMG Hayley, how much do I love you? Your Mimi Marquez themed room is gonna rock. You really have no idea how obsessed my best friend and I are with Rent.

MegTao said...

You know what would be really awesome? If you got a viewer as a roommate. Well, it would be awesome for the room mate, not sure how much you'd enjoy that ^_^

I don't know what your course load will be like and how good you are at getting through your work, but I'm just letting you know the chances of you having time to do any personal reading during the school year is going to be slim to none. During the school year I read maybe five books that weren't school related (if I'm lucky...) since summer started I've read 15. You probably won't have the time. My advice is bring the ones you need for homesickness reasons, or to show off your personality...leave the rest at home.

Natalie said...

When I went on holiday with school, we had to take our own bedding. Little did I know that my cousin had swapped my bedding, and I opened my case to find bright pink checked Disney Aristocat bedding.
Now THAT was embarrassing.
We have to read Catcher in the Rye this year for English, is it really that good?
When I go to college/uni, I'll take my Harry Potter books, it just wouldn't be home without them :)

Callidora said...

All I know is that I am bringing all of my HP books including Melissa's, John Green's books, Maureen Johnson's books, and maybe some others as well. Bring whatever books you want even if you have to find creative ways to store them!
:o)

Patricia said...

I remember trying to pare down books. Its ridiculously hard. I brought a bigish box and just switched out the ones that were on the shelf every now and then. Packing for college is fun isn't it?

Johnny Rollerfeet said...

i found you the perfect smore.

(sorry, no advice about the books.)

Maya said...

Hehehhe... I'm glad I'm only starting high school next year and not college, so I don't have to worry about which of my beloved books I have to leave behind. (:

Then again, from how you describe high school.... NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AT ALL.

Mustikoita said...

I would definitely have to bring the Harry Potter books, because they're so nice to have, for reading and for reference.
I tried to bring the entire series on holiday once, but it didn't work out, so I ended up getting them all out at the library once I got there.
Who would have though Finland would have all 7 Harry Potter books, in English, in all the libraries?!

Mass Chaos In Arizona said...

Whether the less-valued copies or not, I agree you must bring the 3 John Green books.
I just finished reading Paper Towns and must admit I can't wait until he comes out with a new book, or for Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns to come out as movies.
He is definitely one of my favorite authors.

I must say in the college dorm thoughts, I completely differ. I haven't thought a single minute about what I'm going to bring.. thank god I have 'til September.

Anyways, I love your blog.

Brianna said...

Maybe you'll get a roommate who is a 5ag fan. How awesome would that be? Very. How jealous would I be? Very.

Stephanie said...

I'm having the exact same problem. I want to bring tons of books, but I have a feeling that some may just end up sitting there. Harry Potter is big at my school (Emerson and Ben went/go there) so hopefully my roommate will share my love of the series instead of telling her friends that she has to live with a Harry Potter freak.
I think you just need to bring them all. It's true that you can find both Dickinson and Shakespeare online, but it's just not the same as a book. You should allow yourself some sort of security blanket, and books are both comforting and useful. It will be worth the lost space.

Unknown said...

I'll have the same trials and trubulations when I head off to college, so I can somewhat understand how you feel. Good luck with the decisions.

Cece said...

Ah, Hayley, you're awesome.
Good luck with everything. Deciding which books to take and which to leave behind is a very difficult dicision, I know. Believe me. I do have four more years before I start college, so i've never had to make the decision knowing that whichever books I don't take won't be available for me to get for months. But, I have had to make that decision and I believe it's difficult no matter what.
Oh, yeah, i'm only just starting high school in the fall. Four whole years. I'm kind of excited, but not really. I just desperately hope I don't have to stay in one high school for the entire four years. I've never been the type of person who deals well with staying in one place too long. Most of my friends are in college, though, anyway. So mostly i'm just looking forward to graduating.

I've had a S'mores poptart before...it was quite disappointing. My friend and I found them in a store one day and freaked out in excitement, both being s'mores lovers. Then we bought them, tried them, and I believe they're still sitting in my cupboard. Forgotten. Hah, I'm sure they'll be eaten, I just don't know when.

Marlena said...

I am not looking forward to this decision. I can't imagine not having all of my books with me at all times. It even upsets me on vacations, which is why I always bring multiple books regardless of whether or not I'll have time to read them.
I know this isn't much help, but...bring all of HP and all of Jessica Darling. That's about 75% of your soul. And that's probably an understatement.

laurenmae said...

I don't want to think about books being left behind, but you are never too old for Jessica Darling. There is no limit on how many times one should read those books.

This is totally unrelated, but how do you feel about the 10 Things I Hate About You show on ABC Family? The show shouldn't exist, but I'm going to watch at least the first episode.

Haley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Haley said...

Is the Le Petit Prince book you own in the original french or in the translated english? Just wondering....

Also, I understand about the book problem. There are so many good ones that its almost cruel to have to pick a few. Good luck with the cheetah print bedding, and if your roommate thinks you're lame, then she's obviously not made of awesome (and therefore not worth your time). Good luck with the pre-college-ing!

p.s. sorry i deleted the first comment, I noticed some grammar errors and had to fix them.

Jordan said...

As I'm about to move into my dorm room on August 22nd, I'm going through all of the same things as you. The most terrifying, even more so than living with someone I've never met in y life, is the fact that I have no flippin' idea how I'm going to part ways with any of my books.

What I've decided to do and it might benefit you as well would be a) buy a bookshelf that is wide rather than tall. In my dorm room, we can raise our beds to the highest that they can be and shove everything underneath them that will fit. My idea with that would be to shove the bookshelf under the bed that way you can fit more books.

Option b) would be to interchange books every time you go home. Take back the books that you read during the time you were away. My college is three hours away and I haven't a clue as to when I'll be coming home, so of course, I'm taking all of the books with me that I either 1)know I'll definitely read, 2)know I cannot live without and 3)ones that I hope to read. Then my idea is to bring home the books with me that I read and change them out with books that I want to read.

*shrug* Those would be my suggestions =)

P.S. You're the shit =)

Geez Louise said...

I should probably read everyone's comments before commenint myself but oh well.
Can you a) buy a bigger bookshelf or b) have your books on some sort of rotary system and swap them in your semester breaks when you go home? Haha.
Harry Potter and John Green would be my necessities from your list :)

Nokorola said...

Ok, so (ahh)here it goes.

-Good luck with the dorm room decorations

-I've found that taking anything I value anywhere near college is a bad idea.

-Nice MySpace reference

-The s'more pop tarts ARE horrible.

that is all.

Bre Melvin said...

When I had to chose my dorm books, I did not bring my favorites, I brought the books I needed to read. Lugging books just for sentimental value will be a regret later. Only so much fits in the car, and there's only so much stuff your dormmates will help carry down to the car on moving day. Bring what you think you'll read, amongst the heap loads of homework, and then interchange during breaks.

crunches said...

I had the book dilemma when I left for college. and I brought probably 20 books. and read zero of them. You read plentyyyyy for classes, and when that's over, usually don't want to read more. Especially not if you are drunk.

Sara said...

Hehe, I brought Le Petit Prince and my John Green books as well. This year I will be including my complete works of Poe and Shakespeare too. But, I recommend you get an "under the bed" Rubbermaid container, that way you can store more books and you won't feel pressured to leave any favorites out.

Unknown said...

Have you checked the OU/Athens library collections? They're great (free) book storage buildings. Assuming we still have libraries after this week's budget battles...

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