Bags filled with University of Oregon spirit gear, school supplies and books were carried out by first-year students and parents as they exited the Duck Store. Move-in day came with a lot of excitement, but the financial burden of books and school supplies could be heavily felt by many of the new students and their parents. Most students estimated spending between $200-400 on their books for fall term alone — a cost that for many is a weighty addition to the cost of tuition.

“People just don’t want to buy textbooks,” said Bruce Lundy, Book Division team leader at the Duck Store. Lundy explained the efforts the bookstore is taking to keep the cost of books down for students through price comparisons, used and rental options and ebooks, but it’s still a challenge for the bookstore to accommodate for the lower prices students want.

Take a typical freshman class schedule such as Math 111, Writing 121, Business 101 and Anthropology 150 for an example. This 16-credit course load will average around $313 in book fees. Combine that with the added expense of a laptop and school supplies, and the money quickly adds up.

Although the UO financial aid website averages around $2,430 for personal expenses and $1,050 for books and supplies, many parents were shocked by the cost of the school supplies.

“It’s been a long time since I was in college, but I was surprised by the cost of her books,” said Doug Wolfe, father of freshman Natalie Wolfe.

For many students, the costs of both school materials and items for the residence halls are a burden that require varying levels of sacrifice in order to make the necessary purchases. Some students plan on getting jobs while attending school, while others from out of state are unable to go home for Thanksgiving because the cost is too expensive.

Amy Ploegman, an undeclared freshman, is paying for school on her own and has already spent $1,500 for her move into the residence halls. This cost includes a laptop, books and dorm room accessories. While the financial shadow has added stress to her college experience so far, she said it will be worth it.

Many students explained their methods of paying for school, which included grants, scholarships and loans and how the additional stress of the financial burdens will affect their university experience.

“It feels like you don’t really have a choice,” freshman Matt Wiesner said.