The New York Times had an articles about finding cheap textbooks online. They mentioned a site that I'd never heard of, but it might be worth checking out:
"Bookfinder.com, an
umbrella search site that sifts through the inventories of hundreds of
thousands booksellers worldwide, started a simple, easy-to-use textbook
search tool. The way it works: enter a title, I.S.B.N. or author’s name
in Bookfinder’s textbooks search box to navigate a huge database of 125
million new and used books. You can compare prices, shipping costs and
the availability of less expensive editions published overseas."
For those like me who've slept through typhoons, hurricanes and earthquakes without hearing a sound, who've snoozed through 5 alarms and missed an important class, there is help! ThinkGeek has an alarm clock guaranteed to get your a** out of bed: the Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker.
ThinkGeek claims that it "has an adjustable volume alarm with a maximum loudness of 113 decibels
(just for reference, a jackhammer is about 100 decibels!) And the bed
shaker attachment does just what you think it would. Slip it under your
mattress and your ears will bleed and your bed will shake, and there is
no way you will oversleep..."
It comes in two styles: a cutesy pink Love Clock and a fierce black Ninja Clock. At $40 apiece, there is no excuse left to miss another class. I'll be getting one for myself and will report back on whether it can blast me awake.
Alas, another (more amusing) option exists: the Flying Alarm Clock. According to ThinkGeek, "the Flying Alarm Clock wakes you up with a loud shrieking alarm coupled
with a little propeller-driven key that leaps off your nightstand. To
turn off the horrible racket, you have to get out of bed and retrieve
the key. The propeller flies the key high into the air and off into
some dusty corner. You have to force your sleep addled brain into
wakefulness, move your stiff legs and retrieve the key before the alarm
goes off. By the time you've done so, you're awake enough at least to
go make a pot of coffee."
I envisioned it as some kind of robotic bee flying around and crashing into walls, books, and clothes, but the Youtube clip smashed my fantasy: the propeller top of the clock only shoots up until it hits the ceiling before falling to the ground. However, it still is a hilarious idea and would work as a great backup alarm for exam week when you've only had two hours of sleep. If nothing else, the humor factor alone will improve your mood and better prepare you for the long day ahead.
The New York Times had an articles about finding cheap textbooks online. They mentioned a site that I'd never heard of, but it might be worth checking out:
