Let’s say someone had just told me I won the lottery. I would ponder all the new, fantastic things I could buy, like a new computer, a TV or video games. Instead, my first purchase will be textbooks, a serious yet necessary drain on my bank account.

The average cost of textbooks per college semester is $900, according to a recent study fromInvestopedia, a financial and investingwebsite.

The same study said publishers have increased prices by 186 percent since 1986.

Prices are far too high for a typical college student to afford, while publishers are getting rich – something I cannot stand.

Students should buy used books from popularwebsitesor rent from the Hornet Bookstore. If I had paid full price for my textbooks this semester, I would have been out of $550.

“There’s so many other places you can buy for cheaper, it’s ridiculous,” said CarrieMabie, senior liberal studies major.

Some professors offer alternative money-saving options to their students.

John Clark, English professor, said students should share textbooks and buy old editions when possible.

“I encourage students to hunt down earlier editions of (the) text,” Clark said.

Mark Ludwig, journalism professor, explained that some majors, such as journalism, cannot use older editions of text efficiently.

“It’s better to use current editions, although old editions might get you by,” Ludwig said.

After comparing two editions of the Associated Press Stylebook, I hate to admit it, but I might need to get the newer edition soon.

It is ridiculous to ask students to buy the newest edition with a few changes. This is, of course, what publishers expect us to do.

Clark circumvents the need of new editions of books by creating his own text.

“I help keep students’ expenses down by writing my own material for them,” he said.

Doing this drives down costs for students even further.

Clark’s idea is an excellent one and professors should go that route instead of forcing students to spend hundreds of dollars on a new edition of a textbook.Spending $20 on a ream of paper is far better than $120 for a book.

Ludwig, on the other hand, has a different policy. He does not look at the prices of books when deciding what should be used in class. Instead, he said, he looks at what best suits the need of the class he is teaching.

While I can see the advantage of this method, getting the best, up-to-date information, the con is students lose more money each year.

Both professors, regardless of money-saving method, will soon feel my pain of buying expensive textbooks; both of them have kids who are about to start college.

Maybe I will take pity and sell their kids my old textbooks and save them the pain other professors are causing me.

Cole Mayer can be reached at [email protected].