I’ve been fooled by them one too many times.

The Columbia Bookstore was initially a place of wonder to me as a naive freshman. It was where I bought my first Columbia merch, a sweater that cost $50 (which was cheap considering the other options available). Surrounded by a cornucopia of Columbia-themed accessories, I felt a surge of school spirit. 

However, it was soon after starting classes that I came to see the darker side of the Columbia Bookstore. Upon reviewing my Literature Humanities syllabus (and being slightly panicked by all the books I had to get), I ventured into the Columbia Bookstore to acquire these texts. I thought it would be a great, cost-effective idea: the bookstore sold used books at a discounted price, and I could sell back the books at the end of the semester for up to 50% cash back. So, I grabbed the books I needed, and waited in line, ready to take on the Core with my newly acquired books. 

But little did I know, my rose-tinted view of the Columbia Bookstore was about to crack. While waiting in line, I remembered I had received an email for a 20% off discount at the Columbia Bookstore. “Perfect! I could use this to save more money on these books!” I approached the register, and happily showed them the discount code I had received. But then I heard words I never thought were possible. “Sorry, this discount doesn’t apply to textbooks.” What?! I was baffled. I looked through the email to try to find where it said this. And there I found, at the very bottom of the email, in tiny, tiny fine print: “Offer not valid on textbooks, course materials, diploma frames, laptops, tablets, technology, software, regalia, Apple products or gift cards.” You’ve got to be kidding me. And so I left the bookstore not only $60 poorer, but also feeling slightly disillusioned with the Columbia Bookstore. 

But that experience was merely an omen. At the end of the semester, I went back to the Columbia Bookstore to attempt to sell back the books I bought for my Approaches to Literary Study course. Despite my previous misgivings with the bookstore, I was hopeful, as even if I didn’t get 50% cash back, maybe I could get 30 or 20% back still. So, I walked to the back of the bookstore and gave them my books to sell back. But my expectations were about to be crushed. One by one, my books were given the value of $1, $2, and no value at all. The total value was calculated: for a $50 purchase of books, I got back a grand total of… can you guess… $6. 

I was distraught. Here I was hoping for 50% cash back. I took the receipt they gave me, and waited in a long line. I felt like a fool going up to the register and handing them my receipt, seeing as they took the dollar bills out to hand to me. 

And so, what was once a place of opportunity became a place of broken dreams. Maybe I’m just too petty, or maybe I just sold back less in-demand books (perhaps Lit Hum books will be of more value). At least I got enough money back for a round-trip MTA fare.

Columbia Bookstore via Columbia website