In this age of expensive video games and motor scooters, it is nice to have something as cheap and simple as coloring books. Coloring books can be enjoyed by people of all ages, sexes, intelligence levels, religions, and sexual orientations. Coloring books can be found nearly anywhere for a variety of prices. You can go to your local department store and check the kids’ section for most of your coloring needs or you can just go on the internet and print out free coloring books (http://www.coloringbookfun.com/). These books serve a variety of purposes, all of them simply wonderful. Kids can turn to coloring books for a safe alternative too many dangerous activities that teenagers participate in (drugs, vandalism, free love, etc.). “I used to have a lot of trouble with drugs because all my friends would go out and party,” an anonymous sophomore said. “Now I can get my emotional high from drawing in coloring books. It is a wonderful experience. I think kids often underestimate how much there is to be gained just from coloring.” Educational usage is also common for coloring books. This idea arose during the 1980s when detailed diagrams were put into coloring books to help students memorize things such as the human anatomy. “It can really teach you a lot,” junior Tony Chung said. “It teaches the consequences of coloring outside the lines and getting your wrist slapped by the teacher.” More elementary educational uses also exist. These include memorization of simple things like the colors in the rainbow, letters in the alphabet, numbers, and shapes. It can also help teach contrast in colors so young artists can learn more about the color wheel and how colors fit together. “I used to always forget the colors in the rainbow,” Phillip J. Freshman said. “Now I can remember all six colors, and I even know the primary and secondary colors, all due to coloring books. I think everyone should use coloring books. I know they have really bailed me out of a lot of sticky situations.” Coloring books are also used for a variety of therapeutic purposes. Colorblind rehabilitation clinics often use them as morale boosters. The universally recognized soothing effect is also commonly put to use to calm people down in police interrogations. People with extreme fears (like of flying, bodies of water, or fear itself) are also commonly given coloring books so they can take their mind off of whatever is making them anxious. “With being in high school and a variety of sports I constantly find myself under a lot of stress,” sophomore Ben Jones said. “I realized that whenever I feel stressed, I can just turn to coloring books to help me relax. They always hit the spot.” The usefulness of coloring books should not be underestimated by anyone. Coloring books are an easy, cheap, and accessable tool that anyone can benefit from.