The Terror of Knowing

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme created by the wonderful Lainey. As you might have seen I dip in and out of this but this week’s topic was really fun and I’m nosy/curious about other peoples’ bookshelves so this is right up my street.

Top 5… Things On Your Bookshelf That Aren’t Books

This is my university bookshelf so it’s on the more… basic side in terms of “design”. It’s also groaning under the weight of all my DVDs tbh. I have a book crate on the floor beside my bed that is where I store most of my books but these are the ones that managed to find pride of place on my bookshelf itself.

But today isn’t about the books, it’s about all the other crap I clutter my room with in order for it to feel “homey” so without further ado…

1) Morph Bookend

Everyone say hi to Morph. I love these bookends and his pal Chas is dutifully holding up the bottom shelf tucked away in the corner whilst Morph tries desperately to keep my many DVDs some kind of steady. He’s doing a great job, well done Morph, just last through the next couple of months then I promise you won’t be so tried and tested when I move back home.

2) Geometric toy… thing

I got this thing in the Camera Obscura gift shop in Edinburgh. The blocks are strung through a piece of (I assume) elastic so you can move them slightly. Occasionally have fun twisting the blocks into different shapes and arrangements. Mostly it’s novelty, mostly I wanted a knick knack to remind me of my trip to Edinburgh with my friends so this works. And I’m a sucker for anything essentially pointless but colourful.

3) Apple and cinnamon granola

Anyone who has lived with me whilst at university knows that I’m a food hoarder. At the time of writing I have tins and tins of supplies on top of my wardrobe, some of that is necessity due to lack of cupboard space that comes with sharing a kitchen between 6 people, but some of it is just that I like to also keep snacks in my room so I can squirrel away in it if I should so choose. This is my latest snack of choice, and will (hopefully) keep me going as I work on my dissertation draft in the next week or so. So, not quite profound but still represents me quite well I think…

4) Photo mug

The photo on the mug is of me and my friends at graduation. Such a fun day but, again, this one is mainly an object of commemoration of that day and of university as a whole – she says, typing this from a room on campus of the same university because she wasn’t quite ready to leave and so stayed on for an MA. Nevertheless, this mug serves as a lovely reminder of those friends who made my time at university so wonderful, it’s nice to have that little visual memory aid whilst drinking a cup of coffee or tea.

5) My undergraduate dissertation

Allow me a moment of narcissism here, and it’s not technically a book… my undergraduate dissertation is probably the single thing I’m most proud of at this point in time. It represents the final extended piece of writing I had to produce to get my BA and it also (somehow) obtained a first-class grade for it. It’s also on a set of texts I’m really passionate about so it always holds a special place in my heart, and on my bookshelf when I need to be reminded that I can write academically.

So that was my Top 5 Wednesday, what things do you keep on your bookshelf? Tell me, tell me, I’m curious about everyone’s little knick knacks and trinkets.