The Booking Through Thursday question for this week is:
Since school is out for the summer (in most places, at least), here’s a school-themed question for the week:
- Do you have any old school books? Did you keep yours from college? Old textbooks from garage sales? Old workbooks from classes gone by?
- How about your old notes, exams, papers? Do you save them? Or have they long since gone to the great Locker-in-the-sky?
I don’t have any text books from elementary or high school — those all had to be turned back in to the school. Workbooks, notes — I don’t know if I have any from that time. If I do, they’d be in boxes of papers in the shed that I need to go through.
I do have several texts from college days: probably all of the ones from my Bible courses, several from my home economics courses: nutrition, meal management, child care, and sewing books. I also kept the textbook from History of Civilization (the first history class I liked, largely due to the teacher, and the last one in my curriculum), from my English and American Literature classes, from my Advanced Composition and Rhetoric class (that course title scared me, but it was just a basic writing class) and my trusty Harbrace College Handbook from freshman English which was a quick reference guide to basic rules of English. I also kept notes from several of those classes (and actually do have them in a filing cabinet by subject rather than in a box!) One special project I kept was a study of what the Bible had to say about raising children. I did keep several research papers I wrote as well.
Now — have I looked at any of that since school days would be a different question. 🙂 Actually, I have looked at many of the textbooks for reference. Some of them are outdated now and much of the information can be found online, but some I would keep because I know where to find what I am looking for easily. Others I keep for sentimental reasons. Probably through the years to come some of them will be gleaned out as I make room for more books (unless I want to start a library….)
Stray Thoughts 
When I was teaching freshman comp, I kept telling my students DON’T SELL BACK YOUR HARBRACE!! I still use mine all the time (I have two actually) for quick references. I’m glad someone else gets use out of theirs!
Also, I’d like to know how people retain knowledge. For me underlining and highlighting and notetaking is too exhausting–and too reminiscent of grad school, but I find that if I just read I don’t remember as much.
Best wishes!
I still have a lot of my history texts, but the college textbook that I use the most is Handbook For Writers when I have a question on punctuation or phrasing.
I don’t have any textbooks, since it requested to return back to teachers. I probably be glad, since I knew there won’t be any room for it. And I was sure I weren’t need it.
History, was poorer subject for me. I mean that I didn’t make that a good grade on it. But the grade was enough to take me to the next school level *shrug*
Thanks for visiting my blog, Happy BTT!
Julia-Yen
I love my Harbrace too! It’s probably several editions out of date, but it’s my go-to resource for grammar issues.
You sound far too organized! LOL… sounds like you kept the stuff it makes sense to keep. But filed by subject? Wow.
Thanks for visiting!
I got rid of most of my old textbooks when I realized I could get all the info I needed on the Internet now. Happy BTT!
I have the same thoughts too. I don’t buy textbooks if I have the choice, because like you so rightly pointed out, most info can be found online. The only thing is to ensure its credibility. I rely on the Internet a lot when I was doing my independent modules (statistics and e-business).
I am also keeping all my Bible notes and study texts from the Bible classes conducted in church. These are must-keeps.
Happy BTT!
Im a bit of a horder so I have a lot of my uni notes
I have a few workbooks from when I was at school too