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4 ways to save, earn money on textbooks for spring semester
AUTUMN HALL Staff Writer
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Buying new textbooks each semester can be one of the greatest and most painstaking struggles of college life. Between searching for the correct editions and lowest prices, the should-be simple task of purchasing books can quickly become a very frustrating one.
It can be annoying to have old books lying around after the semester, never to be used again. Although it can be tempting to throw these textbooks away, with the help of these selling options, you can easily clear off your bookshelf while making money.
While purchasing and selling textbooks is inevitable, it does not have to be difficult. There are several different in-person and online options available.
VolBooks
VolBooks is by far the most common way that students purchase textbooks on campus. This resource is a section of the VolShop, and it offers a variety of books for specific classes at the University of Tennessee. Physical books are available for in-store pickup or shipment.
The website gives shoppers the option to search for materials by course code, making it much easier to ensure that you are receiving the correct editions.
VolBooks also has many Inclusive Access materials, which are charged to student accounts each semester. These books are digital and are automatically provided, making the books buying process much simpler. If you do not wish to purchase the materials this way, you can opt out through MyUTK, just make sure you meet the opt-out deadline.
Not only can textbooks be purchased from VolBooks, but they can be sold as well. VolBooks holds an online textbook buyback program each semester. Books do not have to be purchased through VolBooks, but some books will not be accepted for the program.
You can check to see whether or not your book is resalable by searching the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) on the VolBooks website. If there is a buy price, the book can be sold. If not, there are several other potential resell options available.
eCampus
eCampus is a digital tool that allows users to compare several pricing options from different booksellers. Books can be searched for in a variety of ways, including ISBN, author or title.
In addition to its warehouse of buyable and rentable books for purchase, eCampus allows students to enter the ISBNs of their own books in order to determine their selling price. After this, the books can be posted on the website for resell, allowing you to clean off your bookshelf while making extra money.
Chegg
Many students know Chegg as an online homework help resource, but did you know that they are also one of the oldest online textbook sellers? Although Chegg is one of the priciest options of the online sources, students can buy or rent textbooks for a price that is often cheaper than that of university bookstores.
Books are not available for direct reselling through Chegg, but they can be sold through independent buyer GoTextbooks. You can visit the website to search and receive a quote on your book’s resell price.
File / The Daily Beacon
McKay’s
McKay’s is a local bookstore that allows community members to trade their own books in for store credit. This way, your old books will be available to those who need them, while you are receiving a discount on the new-to-you books that McKay’s has to offer.
The Knoxville store can be found at 230 Papermill Place Way, and it offers a variety of discounted textbooks. While you’re there, you can also browse their wide collection of records, CDs and video games.
DANIEL DASSOW Campus News Editor
In the spring of 2020, just as campus closed and the long COVID-19 lockdown began, the executive members of SGA, including thenStudent Body President Natalie Campbell, put forward a win-win proposal. The new program, called “Donations for Citations,” would allow students to donate food and hygiene items to Smokey’s Pantry in lieu of paying off a parking ticket.
Perhaps because it launched at the beginning of the pandemic and its test run came during the 2020-2021 school year when classes were mostly online, many students were unaware that the program existed.
Those who were aware of the program, however, were quick to utilize it. According to Moira Bindner, communications and customer service manager for Parking and Transit, all 500 parking citations allocated for dismissal through the Donations for Citations program were used up during the first year and some students were turned away.
The program eats up only a small portion of the Parking and Transit budget, of which 8-9% comes from parking citations. Still, Bindner estimates that around $22,500 was set off from the budget for the 2021-2022 school year to cover the 750 parking citations eligible for dismissal, up from 500 the year before.
In the program’s second year, however, it has proven to be underutilized. Of the 500 citations available to be dismissed through donations in the fall 2021 semester alone, only 284 were dismissed, according to Parking and Transit Services.
“One of our challenges is for students to understand that it’s available,” Bindner said. “In a normal year if people had known about it more, we would have gone through that first 500 in the first month, but we actually haven’t reached that 500 yet for this semester.”
Because the number of eligible citations rolls over to spring 2022, nearly 500 parking citations will be eligible for dismissal through donations to Smokey’s Pantry this semester. Bindner said the purpose of the program is closely tied to its central caveat — students may only get one parking citation dismissed through the program each school year.
“It’s not meant as a way to pay your citations, it’s meant as a way to help people understand how to get around campus, cause they can only use it once,” Bindner said.
Students who receive a parking citation, either for parking in the wrong place or without a permit, may bring five full-sized, non-perishable items to the Parking and Transit office on Stephenson Drive, along with their citation for dismissal.
A list of the pantry’s most needed items, from canned foods to granola bars to toothpaste, can be found on the program’s website.
Students benefit from Donations for Citations by saving money on paying a parking citation. On the other end of the equation, Smokey’s Pantry, which operates out of the Tyson House Student Foundation on Melrose Avenue, benefits from a large influx of donations.
Caitlynne Fox, director of operations at Smokey’s Pantry, said that the program ensures that the pantry has enough items to serve the community abundantly. The last drop-off of donations from Parking and Transit at the end of last semester was so large that it filled the pantry’s entire backstock.
“I think it’s going really well,” Fox said. “It’s really giving us a lot of donations, kind of a shocking amount of donations every time, which is really wonderful to see.”
Though the pantry is operated out of Tyson House, a Christian campus ministry, the religious nature of the center is kept completely separate from the pantry, which is open to all students, staff and faculty, as well as community members with no direct university affiliation.
Despite the fact that the pantry is situated near the center of campus and does not require any financial information or identification, Fox said that it has consistently had far more supply than demand, even throughout the pandemic.
“We could always be helping out more students, faculty and staff,” Fox said. “Raising awareness is really hard with an issue like food insecurity, because, you know, as Americans, there’s that whole ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ ideal that, whether consciously or subconsciously is trained into a lot of people. So people in my experience at least don’t like to talk about food insecurity and money issues.”
The partnership between Fox and Bindner sustains the program, and raising awareness of their respective organizations is a high priority for each. In order for more people to learn about parking policy and Smokey’s Pantry, each says that more students should know about Donations for Citations.
Currently, the most needed items at the pantry are hygiene products, such as shampoo and toothpaste. With 500 citations still able to be dismissed through the program, all parties involved with the initiative stand to gain this semester.
“We want to help you and we have the food and hygiene items to give, so we try to work with everyone as much as possible,” Fox said.
Students who are interested in visiting or volunteering with Smokey’s Pantry can call or text at (865) 236-1235 or email at smokeyspantry@gmail.com.
A Parking and Transit staff member packs up donations for Smokey’s Pantry, collected through the Donations for Citations program. Courtesy of Moira Bindner
CALEIGH ROZMENOSKI Managing Editor
As college students, we’ve all had days where the only thing keeping us going is an unhealthy amount of caffeine. And, when you’re in need of that pick-me-up, what’s better than waiting in line at Hodges for a $7 cup of coffee?
Unfortunately, the need for pick-me-ups often increases the further one gets into their college career, and those $7 lattes and frappuccinos really add up. It is a good idea to spend less money on caffeine and master the skill of making not just drinkable but tasty coffee at home for significantly less money. The initial cost of purchasing what you need might not seem necessary, but with the number of drinks you can make, the cost per cup is definitely worth your while.
Here are some problems that you may run into, with some possible ways to solve them. These are all under the assumption that you have a little disposable time in the morning and aren’t in a rush.
Problem: Black coffee is gross and no matter how much creamer I add it tastes burnt.
Solution: Buy instant coffee mixes.
Pre-flavored and pre-sweetened instant coffee is a great way to save time in the morning without having to guess if you’ve added enough creamer, sweetener, syrups or toppings to your drink. Most instant mixes work for both hot and cold coffee, so you can decide if you’re in an iced coffee mood or not.
They are relatively inexpensive and can be found in pretty much every grocery store and online. You can probably find your exact order in a little packet that just requires water and a stir stick.
Problem: My ice melts immediately, making my coffee taste like water.
Solution: Make and freeze coffee the night before to create coffee ice cubes.
Coffee — and even creamer — ice cubes can prevent your coffee from getting watered down. This requires a little prep the night before, but it’s pretty easy to guess whether or not you’ll want coffee in the morning. You just need to make whatever flavor coffee you want, pour it in an ice cube tray and let it freeze overnight. This is definitely not the most convenient method to make coffee, but it gets the job done.
An alternative solution is to make your coffee or hot water as early as you can and let it sit out to cool a little. This way doesn’t have the best results, but it works if freezing coffee the day before is out of the question.
Problem: My coffee tastes plain and doesn’t provide the sugar rush I get from coffee shop coffee.
Solution: Go crazy with the syrups, toppings and add-ins.
For some people, the actual taste of coffee isn’t all that great, and they want their drinks to have as little coffee flavor as possible.
When you order from a coffee shop you’re basically given a recipe with every cup — especially if you order online. The Starbucks app literally breaks down everything from the type of milk used to the number of pumps you’re getting. Buy similar ingredients and give it your best shot.
One suggestion might be to add a syrup of your choice, such as Torani vanilla syrup for example, and then throw in some classic Hershey’s chocolate syrup and extra creamy whipped cream. Whatever your go-to is, you can definitely make it just as tasty and much cheaper at home.
4 Ways to Cure Post-Holiday Blues: Resolutions, rest
LAUREN WARD Staff Writer
While we are always glad to have a break from nonstop work and stress, we must all return to it eventually as college students. With this return, something else that arrives yet again is the postholiday blues.
Here are some ways to get yourself acclimated and back into the work setting after a break filled with opening gifts, indulging in sweets and most likely binging Netflix series after Netflix series.
Exercise
Exercise will always be a necessity, but more studies have shown that it’s helpful in every aspect of life, especially mentally. When you go for a run and stimulate your body, it releases endorphins. These not only reduce pain, but also give you a sense of feeling good.
So whether you go to the TRECs or Planet Fitness, or even take a walk around campus, you’re sure to feel better in no time. There are activites such as yoga classes, fencing and more. Your exercise doesn’t have to be boring.
Your mind and body will be thanking you no matter what you choose.
New Year’s resolutions
It’s a tradition for some, and a cheesy idea to others, but keeping some goals in mind can be beneficial to your motivation and keep your mind off the blues. Having ambitions can help you move forward and continue to plan for the future.
When the stress of school and work becomes really high, reminding yourself why you started and how far you’ve come can be very beneficial. If you’re being too hard on yourself, especially with your blues, think back to how much you’ve accomplished and how much further you’ll go.
Talk to someone
It’s more common than you think to have postholiday blues. The best thing you can do is voice your feelings and let them out in the open rather than keeping them bottled up.
Though it’s a temporary feeling, they’re just as valid as any other emotion. After such a colorful holiday season, who could blame you for feeling gloomy when January rolls around and there’s a bunch of freezing rain and half melted snow on the ground? This is a total 180.
It helps to go through something with someone who can relate or at least support you throughout your hardships, no matter the reasoning behind it.
Try and make an effort to talk to them in-person or at the very least call. Sometimes texting can be a barrier of social interaction and can leave mixed signals in the tone of texts.
Get plenty of rest
As a college student, getting proper sleep is not always an easy habit to keep up with.
Nowadays there’s enough research to show how much an inadequate amount of sleep — as well as exercise — can affect your mood. So, if you’re feeling gloomy after the holidays, getting a good night’s rest could really help.
Make sure you’re in a comfortable environment. Try to keep as little to no light as possible in your room and do what you can to not be on your phone so much before bed. Some ways to do this would be to read a book or do some bedtime yoga to wind down.
Have noisy neighbors upstairs? Affordable fans and noisemakers are available at places like Walmart and Costco.
Even hot tea or an essential oil diffuser can be just the thing to calm your nerves and tell your body it’s time to unwind.
10 The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 24, 2022
WELCOME BACK Shifting Focus: Preparing mentally for the new semester
MACY ROBERTS Contributor
After nearly two months away for the holidays, merely thinking about returning to school can prompt unwanted levels of stress. Words like “studying,” “homework” and “exams” sound off alarms and make us wish we could return to a time when those things seemed so far away.
But alas, the spring semester has arrived and we have no choice but to put our minds back into school-mode. While the next 16 weeks may look scary right now, there are ways we can prepare ourselves to make the transition from the holiday season to academic season a little less intimidating.
Listing goals
Creating a unique, personalized list of goals for the semester is a great way to get your head back in a school-related mindset without being too overwhelmed. These goals can be short-term or long-term, individual or grouporiented, big or small — so long as they reflect your interests in a positive way.
When writing down your goals for the semester, consider placing them in a location that you will have easy access to. Putting your list of goals somewhere that you check every day can be a great motivator and effective way to ensure you don’t lose sight of what you want to achieve as the school year progresses.
Starting off strong
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to prepare the morning of the first week of classes. Come to class with the appropriate materials and attitude and make good impressions. Put effort into your work, despite how easy it may seem to put off until the last minute or do half-heartedly.
Most of us are bound to face burnout at some point, so by starting the semester off strong, you may be able to manage damage control ahead of time given that tougher challenges arise later in the semester. Also, when doubting yourself during trying times, you can look back at the student you were at the beginning of the semester and know you are capable of performing well — you are not a bad student, you’re just human like everyone else.
Maintaining planner usage
Numerous sources recommend buying a planner to manage school and/or work related activities, so if you don’t have one already, take this as a final sign.
Keeping a planner on hand gives you the opportunity to write down responsibilities the moment you’re assigned them, which reduces the risk of forgetting or misremembering them. It also allows you to see all tasks you need to complete in one neat space, which makes prioritizing them more convenient.
Furthermore, writing in a planner grants you the ability to physically check obligations off once they are completed, which is arguably one of the most satisfying feelings you can experience as a student.
Adopting a consistent sleep schedule
Everyone knows how big of an impact sleep has on health, but it remains something that is consistently shrugged off like it’s no big deal.
For a more successful semester, try waking up and going to bed around the same time everyday, including the weekends. Consistent sleep translates to more alertness and better concentration, which sets up a better environment for success and productivity.
The occasional all-nighter may seem inevitable for some, so don’t beat yourself up over it. So long as you are trying your best and doing all that you are individually capable of you are being successful.
Courtesy of Pexels
Investing in yourself
One of the worst parts about transitioning from life on break to life in school is the fact that we often give up doing the things that bring us personal joy in order to look like better students. While everyone’s schedules and workloads look different, we can all be alike in that we make time for ourselves.
Always schedule time to do the things that you like. Stick to that schedule, and never allow someone to make you feel guilty for doing less than them. We are all capable of different things simply because we are all different individuals. Knowing your limits and putting your health first is something worth bragging about — not denying yourself pleasure because you want to keep up appearances.
How to construct a realistic resolution for the new year
BELLA HUGHES Design Editor
The anticipation for a new year is filled with optimism and self reflection. Whether you make a vision board, set a list of goals or roll into 2022 with no expectations, another 365 days are in your hands.
New year’s resolutions can become overused and outdated. Before you commit to one, use these tactics to construct a realistic resolution.
Don’t be cliché
“Living a healthy lifestyle” is an overused resolution that many people fail to carry out. The statement “be healthy” is short and open ended, leaving room for error.
Shifting the way a resolution is worded can be beneficial in making the statement less cliché and more attainable. Using a general word like “wellness” or “strength” changes the way a resolution is perceived.
Under the “wellness” resolution, someone can exercise more and focus on eating nutritious foods without the expectations of being in the gym everyday or being restricted to a diet.
Strength comes in many layers, as well: physical, mental and emotional. Modifying the phrase “be healthy” to “increase strength” adds a positive connotation to living a healthy lifestyle.
Strength is not exclusive to lifting weights, either — you can also demonstrate strength through mental health. Changing the perception of your resolution can make it more attainable. Similar goals can still be met without the pressures of using a cliché resolution.
Fit your lifestyle
The minute before midnight is a time when a mass population runs on the same schedule. Other than that, we run on our own clocks. Try not to make a resolution for yourself based on what others are doing.
If your resolution is not something you can complete on any random weekday, it will not work for you. This might take self reflection, but once you examine where you currently are, you can imagine where you want to be.
Think about habits you currently exhibit that don’t serve much purpose and correct them with a positive solution. If you unnecessarily apologize, write a list of alternative ways to avoid saying you’re sorry. If you are always late to events, anticipate traffic by leaving 15 minutes early. If you are bad at responding to texts, treat them like emails and prioritize time to respond.
Self accountability is important in practicing positive solutions. By making a conscious effort to correct a habit, your lifestyle will increase.
Be specific
To provide guidance to the year, start off with a general idea of what you would like to accomplish. A statement like, “By December I want to accomplish ____,” gives you plenty of time to reach the predetermined goal.
There are steps to take to ensure the goal is maintained. Set progress check points to keep track of your success. Progress check points should answer the following questions: What steps will I take to achieve this goal? What resources will I need to achieve this goal? Who can help me achieve this goal? How much time do I have left to achieve this goal?
Planning out specific steps to take creates a roadmap for completing your December goal. Checkpoints throughout the year will keep morale high as you continue to strive for your end goal.
There’s always next year
The expectations of new year’s resolutions often fall short. There are no guarantees that this will be the best year yet and all your dreams will come true.
The year does not limit you on what you are able to accomplish. The year motivates you to set new boundaries for yourself, challenge your ordinary thinking and expand your experiences. It is possible to come up with a unique resolution, break a habit and meet checkpoints all while satisfying your end goal.
Do not stress if you are unable to complete your 2022 resolution. There’s always next year.
DANIEL DASSOW Campus News Editor
When Chancellor Donde Plowman released an announcement on Jan. 7 detailing the university’s COVID-19 policies for the spring semester, there was no mention of any mask or vaccine mandates on campus.
This is because the injunction against the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors, which was filed by a U.S. District Court in Kentucky on Nov. 30 of last year, still stands.
The preliminary injunction, which led to an abrupt lifting of all mask and vaccine requirements on UT campuses in compliance with Tennessee law in December, was upheld when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit denied the federal government’s request to stay the injunction on Jan. 5.
As for the Biden administration’s attempted OSHA rule that would have required vaccination or regular testing for workers at companies with more than 100 employees, the Supreme Court blocked the rule on Jan. 13, on the grounds that it represented an overstepping of the administration’s authority. The Supreme Court did allow a separate vaccine requirement for healthcare workers to stand.
The legal fight over COVID-19 mandates, which has occurred far above the leadership of UT, has left administration with few options other than to strongly recommend vaccination and masking in lieu of requirements.
In her announcement, Plowman said that members of leadership “expect” students to help slow the spread of the virus and that they strongly recommend masking in public indoor spaces.
Because the return to class on Jan. 24 came later this year, Plowman said UT would maintain in-person teaching, while dozens of campuses around the country moved to online teaching for the first few weeks of the semester.
“One of the things we have learned in the past two years is that face-to-face classes enhance student learning and reduce the sense of isolation that often accompanies virtual classes,” Plowman said. “As was the case last semester, a change of modality for any reason must be approved by the appropriate dean.”
Several professors have already coordinated with deans and department chairs to move their courses online for the semester in light of the surge in the omicron variant.
UT’s decision to maintain a face-to-face modality comes as Knox County continues to see record COVID-19 case counts and Knox County Schools canceled classes for the remainder of the week of Jan. 17 due to “staffing challenges related to illness,” marking four days of cancelation in a row.
Nearly two years into dealing with COVID-19, Plowman remained optimistic that the next phase of the pandemic would be less severe. Data from the university suggests that around 70% of the campus community is vaccinated and early studies of the omicron variant suggest that it causes less severe illness, even to those who have not been vaccinated.
“In our community and around the country, we are witnessing a transition in the management of COVID-19 — an illness, by all indications, that will be with us for many years to come,” Plowman said. “The CDC has reduced quarantine and isolation lengths to help people return to their daily activities more quickly. National experts have noted the benefits of focusing less on case counts when assessing the actual impact of COVID-19.”
In order to combat the virus without the aid of mandates, Plowman said the university would provide masks, including KN95 masks, to employees who request them. UT will also partner with the Knox County Health Department to host vaccination and booster events for the community early in the semester and will maintain vaccination appointments and testing for students at the Student Health Center.
At the system level, no official COVID-19 announcement has been released since President Randy Boyd announced the lifting of mask and vaccine mandates on all UT campuses on Dec. 1.
Melissa Tindell, executive director of communications for the UT System, said the system is letting campuses decide which specific, legal COVID-19 protocols to instate.
“At this point, our campuses are putting forth guidance that best meets the needs of their respective campus community,” Tindell said. “While protocols and mandates around masks and vaccinations are ever-changing, our undergraduate campuses across the system are strongly recommending masks indoors and social distancing.”
UT’s strategy heading into the third year of the pandemic combines the familiar message of strong recommendations paired with ample opportunities to receive immunization.
“We continue to encourage our faculty, staff and students to get vaccinated for the protection of themselves and their campus community,” Tindell said.
Chancellor Plowman and Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas are expected to release further announcements on the COVID-19 situation on campus as classes begin. The UT System website and the UT Knoxville COVID-19 webpage continue to provide updates on the evolving response to the virus.
COVID-19 updates for Knoxville and UT: Rising cases, continued in-person instruction
ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer
As we’ve come to know life according to COVID-19, a new semester means a new round of pandemic concerns. The omicron variant is quickly on the rise in the US, with a daily average of about 13,000 cases in Tennessee. Knoxville itself has made some adjustments in terms of access to testing and mask recommendations. UT, on the other hand, is keeping protocol essentially the same.
Here is what you need to know about Knoxville and campus heading into the spring semester.
City-wide updates
The new variant has caused many places to be short-staffed in Knoxville, including Knox County schools who canceled instruction on Jan. 18 as a result of the number of employees out for sickness.
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is now offering free testing to anyone whether or not you have symptoms, have been exposed or have insurance. Walkin testing is available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 140 Dameron Ave.
File / The Daily Beacon
and is first come, first serve. KCHD performs saliva tests, so be prepared to not eat, drink, smoke or chew tobacco 30 minutes before your test.
After reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases to date for Knox County, KCHD announced it would switch from daily to weekly case reports in order to match the reporting rate for other diseases and due to the increase in at-home tests.
Director of Communications for KCHD Kelsey Wilson wrote in an email to Knox News that they believe this to be the practical choice moving forward.
While the city faces its highest numbers of COVID-19 cases yet, there have been no changes in city-wide mask requirements. Some businesses, however, are beginning to require or request masks once again.
Campus-wide updates
As of right now, UT is upholding the decision made at the end of last semester to not require masks, in accordance with a decision from a federal district judge. Legally, UT cannot require masks or vaccines.
“We expect everyone to protect others from the spread of COVID-19 and strongly recommend wearing masks in academic and administrative spaces,” Chancellor Donde Plowman said in an announcement.
In the announcement, Plowman also confirmed that, as of right now, classes will continue in-person and any change a professor wishes to make to class format is subject to approval from their respective dean.
While school will continue with few changes, the university is still encouraging vaccinations and has many opportunities for students to receive their shots. Students can sign up online or through the Student Health Center to get their vaccine.
The Student Health Center, 1800 Volunteer Blvd, has many resources for students on UT’s campus including counseling, primary care services, a pharmacy and more. File / The Daily Beacon
