DIY Portable WiFi Antenna Booster for Nook Tablet to Improve Campus Reception

I bought a nook to use as an android tablet but soon realized the short extent of it's wifi reception. Since I live on a college campus, I obviously can't change the router settings and such so I want to build some sort of antenna that will amplify the wifi where ever i am. Most articles I've read mention antennas that require the tablet to hook up to the antenna to receive its benefits but I would prefer a device that would simply direct the wifi into my area so that my nook can pick it up better. Any ideas as to what I should make and tips on how?

Brittany..
Two things, you said it works for a short distance.. Look into the specs of the nook ( antenna)...For one, if its new, i would take it back. Might be something wrong with the circuit.. The other thing to take into consideration is using a expander "but", that is used for the router in your school.. My advice to you, is check with nook and see what they tell you before you go forward with any modifying...

I had found out that the nook does have incredibly cheap range after a conversation with nook support that was unnecessarily long. So modification seems to be my only option aside from buying a more expensive tablet. (Which as an engineer, I would deem cheating. : ] )