At school but no books

last night, i remember a part of my dream was that i went back to college. (i've been wanting to go back really bad but can't really afford it right now) i remember in my dream i was back at school, it was the first day of a new semester, and i didn't have a book; i felt embarrassed to ask someone if i could read on with them. I went to the library to see if i could get a copy of the book, and there was one there, but it was very torn and tattered; i remember thinking i could just steal it, and i didn't think they'd really care since it was so damaged anyway..
I didn't steal it; i don't remember if i was ever able to get a good book for school in my dream.
What could this mean?

Moved from Dream Journal, to Dream Interpretation.

The book could symbolize your education, you think it ended too prematurely, its in tatters and not in the best condition just like the book, and when you had no book its because you felt like you had no way of getting education.

I've had SO MANY school dreams, and they're always like that! I don't have a notebook and I try to borrow some paper form somebody, but all I can get is tattered torn paper... or I don't have a pencil and can't find one... I have no clothes on... can't find my locker or don't remember the combination...

I believe these represent a fear of not being prepared for some aspect of your life. To me it seems these dreams happen when I feel like I SHOULD be doing something different, or trying harder than I am. I think school represents preparation for life, or the authoritarian nature of working life. Dreaming of being in school (at least in these kind of dreams) seems to mean that you're thinking about your situation - in terms of social or job-related things. I don't think I'm making this very clear!

What I'm trying so poorly to say is... these dreams seem to be telling me that I feel I should better my life... get a better job or somehow change my situation in life.

In your case it 's probably because you've been wanting to go back to school but you're not. maybe you feel anxiety over that.

Got it...

Dreaming of being at school without _____________ (book, paper, pen etc) is anxiety over being in your life without ___________ (good job, good marriage or partner, good car, etc). And in your specific case I'd say it's because you WANT to go to school but you're not, so some part of you feels that you're wasting time when you should be in school This doesn't mean you really SHOULD be in school, only that some part of you THINKS you should.

Wow, I sure do ramble on and make a mess of things when I don't quite know what I'm trying to say, don't I? :roll:

i get what you're saying :) thanks for your feedback guys. I do strongly believe that the tattered book was deffinitly a dream symbol; i thought me thinking of 'stealing' it could be a dream symbol too..
I know i really want to go back to school in reality, but i can't afford it. I value knowldege a lot, and i guess if it came down to it, i may consider taking a book even if its tattered, i wouldn't really care, as long as i could still read it and learn from it..

I am pretty anxious/nerveous too. I'm still trying to decide what i want to do for the rest of my life. I love studying dreams, and sleep and learning about the unconscious mind. I've looked into becoming a polysomnographic technologist (basically, a sleep doctor; they analyze machines that measure brain activity while your sleeping etc) but the process of getting a certificate is a little confusing. but yea reading is fundamental so i'll just have to take the time to read the website a couple times lol.