The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, $82, 1100 pages, 14 pounds.

The Beginning of the Universe until Now, $105, 2347 pages, 19 1/2 pounds. Six multi-subject notebooks, $22, 11 pounds.

Other supplies, $55, 23 pounds.

Total: $264, 67 1/2 pounds.

Feels like: 67 1/2 pounds.

2 p.m. Get in line. Only 250 people in front of you. Have an hour and a half to read your new books. Whatever.

2:10 p.m. Ten minutes have passed. Only 245 people in front of you. You’ve read the shirt of the person next to you seven times.

Feels like: 90 pounds.

2:20 p.m. Twenty minutes have passed. Only 190 people in front of you. You are now speaking with the person next to you. They seem nice.

Feels like: 111 pounds.

3 p.m. An hour has passed. Only 88 people in front of you. You have become somewhat interested in the person next to you. You consider asking them out.

Feels like: 500 pounds.

3:20 p.m. An hour and twenty minutes have passed. Only 15 people in front of you. You now have a date for the weekend.

Feels like: 945 pounds.

3:30 p.m. An hour and a half has passed. You are at the front of the line.

“How would you like to pay?”

“U-bill, please,” you say.

“Sorry. Haven’t you heard? You can’t charge your books to your U-bill anymore.Read the sign.”

“Where’s the sign?”you ask.

“You’re standing next to it.”

Feels like: 2,487 pounds.

3:35 p.m. Better cancel that date.

You can’t afford it now.

How about a little fair warning next time, huh, guys?

University students have lost a valued, convenient service by not being able to charge bookstore purchases to their U-bill.

And judging from reactions at the UBS lines, some students needed a little more advanced notice, not to mention a little more cash on hand.