While children often look forward to outings at Chuck E. Cheese or even Disney World, I spent my childhood days eagerly awaiting my daily trips to the local bookstore. Every Sunday, my father and I would sit in the children’s section of Barnes and Noble and peruse the latest novels and poetry. As I entered my teenage years I naturally started worrying more about boys and clothes, rather than the latest Judy Blume novel. However, no matter how many years pass, I still find myself transforming into my chubby five-year old self when I step into a bookstore.
Whether you are an avid reader like myself, or just a subscriber of Cosmo, you can probably attest to the feeling of flipping through the pages of a new book. This feeling is why I originally boycotted the latest phenomenon of electronic reading tablets. But during Spring Break I did the unthinkable: I bought a Nook.
For those that are not familiar with this technologically advanced reading device, a Nook is Barnes and Noble’s version of a tablet, which allows consumers to download electronic books for cheaper than sale prices. Despite the promise of “just like paper” displays and the portability of carrying many books for the weight of one, the idea of downloading a novel to an electronic device sickened me.
In the words of Hank Moody from the ShowTime television series Californication, “People seem to be getting dumber and dumber… they don’t write anymore; they blog. Instead of talking, they text – no punctuation, no grammar – “lol” this and “lmao” that.” Like Hank Moody, and as an aspiring writer, I have an extreme fear of the death of the written word. With the growing technology and lack of newspaper sales, I assumed that these so called “eReaders” would make even Shakespeare turn in his grave.
Well my fellow readers, I stand corrected. I present to you the three reasons why every college student should exchange their outdated paperbacks for a sleek and chic eReader.
- Portability. Going home for break or even just the weekend and want to bring a few books with you? As much as you think you are going to have time to read all of the twilight books on the 2-hour airplane ride, you usually won’t. With an eReader you can bring home all of your books and not feel like you wasted room in your suitcase when you enter a post-quals coma for the weekend.
- Space Friendly. There are only so many books that you can stack under your dorm-room bed. With an eReader, you can have thousands of books for the space of one.
- Convenience. Unless you have a car on campus, getting to the nearest Barnes and Noble can be annoying and time consuming. Finished the first Hunger Games book and want to read the next two right away? Need that textbook for class that you forgot about until the final? Well, with an eReader you can get them right away without leaving the C-Store.