Also by Denise Gonzalez

It’s obvious that every new semester at Cerritos College, the student bookstore is always crammed. It seems as if the line to purchase books is one mile long, yet, there’s no choice but to wait in line because the book is a required text.

At times, students are expected pay hundreds of dollars a semester for the obligatory materials necessary for class, specifically books.

A few weeks into the semester, students begin to realize that the so-called obligatory material isn’t exactly needed to pass the class.

The first time I bought a book I only opened it once and I got an A. It was a waste of money and besides, I find it more economical to take good notes and pay attention in class, said Maria Olivares, Communications major

Olivares also said that although she has taken three different speech courses, she only bought the necessary books once.

This is something a lot of students on campus can relate to, many have had the same experience.

Sociology student Melissa Bentley said, In four years that I’ve been here, I can honestly say that the only books I really used were my math books.

In most cases, professors hand out a syllabus that states which book/s to buy for that specific class. Additionally, for some courses, as many as three books have been required for one subject. Moreover, there have been times when the professors themselves can’t even get around to the books they asked students to buy.

For my English 100 class, we had three books and only two were used the whole semester, said Leslie Medina, Criminal Justice major. We just never got around to it, so we never even read it.

Some students are completing their classes with at least a ‘C’ or better without studying straight from the book. Some professors don’t even go directly from the book, said Bentley. A lot of teachers just lecture and already tell you what you need to know for the exam.

Reasons why students don’t use the book aren’t only because they just don’t want to. Bentley explained that most people are in the same situation she is. Working 40 hours a week, taking care of a family and going to school full-time isn’t easy.

Finding an easier way is what students are doing.

Studying for two-hours per every hour of class time is impossible. Some professors expect students to read an average of two or three chapters a day in most writing or reading classes and there are only a few students who can do it, but most won’t.

This is when students begin to realize that having a book for class isn’t always a great necessity to pass the class and by the end of the semester when students decide to sell back the books they purchased, the money returned to them is hardly anything compared to what they originally paid.

This can be another reason why people decide not to purchase books. Students feel that it’s not worth paying so much money for a book that wasn’t even needed.

Although most Falcons will continue to buy the books that are required for most courses, there will be another, albeit smaller group, that will not buy them [books] and still pass their classes. It is like everything in life–Everyone’s choice.

Some will be able to pass their classes without books, but some will need something more than classroom lectures. Students will still have to decide wether they want to run the risk of buying books that they will never use or buy them and hope that the book is a crucial part of the course and they are not just throwing their money away.