Any self-respecting nerd eagerly awaits the end of the semester and the ensuing free time for reading. This sudden new-found freedom, however, can be a little overwhelming so I've put together a checklist of the essentials to survive the summer reading madness. Proceed with caution.
1. Pen/Pencil-This is crucial for writing down a list of books to read and their call numbers once you hit the library. A pencil may work best because then you can erase call numbers and add more in their place, thus helping the environment at the same time.
2. Some sort of handheld electronic device-If you're really nerdy and really want to be environmentally friendly, you can use an iPhone/iPod or Blackberry to keep electronic notes for yourself. This method cuts out any use of paper whatsoever. All you have to do is type in the names of books and then delete and retype once you've finished and are ready to start a new one.
3. Library card-You don't have to buy everything on Amazon. You can read books for free. That's why we have these wonderful things called libraries. Check one out: it's essential for good summer reading.
4. A bookbag-This bag can be of any size or shape, but the bigger the better. Remember: the bigger your bag, the more books you can fit in it, which means more summer reading pleasure. Caution: be careful about the weight of the books if you do use a bigger bag. You don't want to ruin your shoulder when you can just return to the library the next week and get a few more books.
5. A social networking site-Join a site like facebook or Goodreads because it allows you to share with the world what you are reading at any given moment. It is crucial that your friends can see what great literary tastes you have and that you read 200 books in one summer. Talk about bragging rights.
6. At least one book in a foreign language-The more obscure the language, the better. When you can return to school (or work) in the fall and say that you read an ancient Nordic epic, in the original language, you will be the talk of the town (for better or for worse, I can't guarantee anything).
If you have these six simple items, you're summer reading will be fruitful and enjoyable. Also, people will tell you that you are a big nerd, but then you can tell them how you read more this summer than they've read in their entire lives. Take that.
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