Calling All Book Lovers!

I mentioned this in my introductory post, but I double major in English and Book & Media Studies, which essentially means that I LOVE literature, and I do. I really do. Reading and writing from an early age has led me to a life long love of literature and the title of a self-professed bibliophile (throwback to past blogger Amie's post on the Victoria College book sale, who is also a bibliophile!). So what could be more appropriate for me, as an avid book lover, than to visit the Victoria College Book Sale this past week! The book sale took place on the 1st and 2nd floors of Old Vic from September 22 to 26 and this year, they celebrated their 25th anniversary. Old Vic is the building on the Victoria College grounds that sort of looks like a whimsical gingerbread castle (to me, anyways). I entered the building and was excited to see the sheer number of incredible book lovers huddling over interesting books. Among the hundreds and hundreds of books, there were sections for fiction (that delve into further subject categories such as Shakespeare, Canadian fiction, or children's literature), non-fiction, cooking, gardening, psychology, music, you name it, they probably had it. There were also records (for your very cool and vintage record player), CDs, DVDs, cassettes, and VHS tapes (My inner 90s kid is screaming with joy right now).

For students, the college book sales (available at Victoria College, St. Michael's College, University College, and Trinity College) are more than just an opportunity to purchase some insanely cheap literature. U of T is a place of learning and with that, it's probably true that most of us do like learning. I've always viewed the college book sales as an opportunity to catch up on some "personal learning".

With a wide breadth of material available for purchase, why not teach yourself a new skill or learn something new? "Personal learning" allows you to read about something that you're truly curious about and find out more about it! Believe it or not, I love to read in my free time. That may some a bit strange because all I do at U of T is read, read, and READ. But I love to read and choosing literature that isn't assigned as a reading (although my readings are generally quite interesting!) allows me to delve into my personal interests. Reading allows me to have time to reflect on what I'm interested in, learn a new literary technique or two (I also love creative writing!), and relax.

The college book sales are an opportunity to pick up a book that could teach you how to plant the perfect garden, learn how to code HTML, or write music! Personal learning can lead you to delve into your interests in your free time and do something that you always wanted to do. Go forth, mark your calendars, and check out the book sales! The University College book sale runs from October 14 to 18 and the Trinity College book sale runs from October 20 to 24.