cover image The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College

Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, Jennifer Worick. Chronicle Books, $14.95 (176pp) ISBN 978-0-8118-4230-3

Filled with cheeky but practical solutions to just about any problem a college student could face, this slender volume opens with an ominous warning:""when a life is imperiled or a dire situation is at hand, safe alternatives may not exist."" Nonetheless, many of the situations it tackles are far from life threatening; how to avoid doing laundry, how to pull an all-nighter and how to identify bad cafeteria food are among them. Its advice on choosing a school and surviving dorm bathrooms (""never touch the floor with your bare feet"") clearly suggests that it was produced by a team who knows that of which they write. And the detailed primer on making it through the travails of college partying--with tips on how to avoid a nightmare hookup--isn't there just for effect: it includes serious counsel like""Do not let a stranger get a drink for you"" and""Clear the potential hook-up with a trusted friend."" All in all, this is a handy reference to have while at college, and would make useful required reading for first-year students.