Going Home for Thanksgiving Break

As you travel home for Thanksgiving, this will likely be your first extended-stay home since you’ve come to college. Enjoy the break and take time to relax before your first round of final exams!

Many of you have discussed during our individual meetings how much you’re enjoying your time and freedom at JMU. This is great! We know many of you are also really looking forward to time away to see family and friends and take a breather. Remember, though, when you go home, you have changed; your family and friends may see you differently now. And, you may react differently than expected to this change. To prepare, we recommend reading Your First Visit Home: Heading Home for the First Time Often Presents Unexpected Challenges by Kelci Lynn Lucier to help prepare you for this break.

Upperclass Students' Perspective | Books

Wondering how college is going to be different? Listen to what upper-class students wish they would have known when they began their first year at JMU.

Buying Books

How do I get textbooks?

One of the most common is to purchase books from the JMU Bookstore or the University Outpost Bookstore. To cut down on your cost and be “green,” try to purchase used books or rent books. The JMU Bookstore does offer a low price guarantee on new textbooks. You can also look at online retailers, like Amazon or Barnes & Noble to shop around for new and used textbooks. Just remember, the longer it takes to get to you the longer you will have to wait to do your class reading. (Waiting on a textbook isn’t a good excuse to give to your professor when you’re unprepared).

How do I know which textbooks to purchase?

If you want to get an idea of what textbooks you might want to purchase before you come to school (even if you don’t want to buy the books online), log-in to MyMadison to view the books associated with your courses. Check out this quick tutorial to learn how to access this information:

You can also wait until the first day of class when the instructor will review the books you’ll need along with the syllabus. The bookstore does an excellent job organizing books so you can find the texts you need when you go to the physical and online locations.

When should I purchase my textbooks?

The first thing to note is a faculty member might change his/her book selection before the first day of class and you might change classes, so purchasing books early might mean you need to return or exchange them later. You can wait until the first day of class to see what the professor discusses for purchasing textbooks when they review the syllabus in regards to required and recommended books. If you need to return a textbook, the bookstore has deadlines each semester for you to return any new, unused textbooks. You must also have a valid receipt with your return.

Upcoming Blog Post Topics

Tuesday, August 19: This post will teach you about commuting on campus, dining options open before the first day of classes, and tips for Orientation!
Friday, August 22: This post will inform you about drop-in hours to see your advisor, change your class schedule, and how to prepare for the first day of class.