Throughout my first year of college, I had many moments where I was holed up in my dorm watching my recent Netflix obsession-- Parks and Recreation. I found that I had moments where I related to every character in just my first year of college. Whether it was my move-in day thoughts, getting the hang of my meal plan, or even waking up for the ungodly 8ams, Parks and Rec. always had the right reaction to what I was feeling...

• When you were finally dropped off and all moved into your dorm, still bawling about your parents leaving you behind.

This was the roughest part of freshman year. Everyone was feeling down, and you don’t have any real friends yet, so sitting in your room texting your mom and ugly crying was the only acceptable thing to do.

• When you first get the hang of your meal plan

Meal plan is glorious because it seems like free food. I would walk into our convenience store on campus at the end of the day, sometimes with 15 dollars still to spend, feeling like a total baller, just like Tom and Donna on Treat Yo Self Day (October 13th, for future reference)

• When you wake up for your first 8 am

8 am classes always seem like a good idea during registration because high school started around that time, but in college it is a whole other game, and 8 am classes are the worst (almost as bad as councilman Jamm.)

• When your professors all give you midterms within 3 days of each other

Every semester, it seems like every professor you have sits down and decides to give their midterms all at the same, which makes the week stressful and horrible.

• When you get your midterm grades and they aren’t as horrible as you had imagined

This is the best feeling ever, because college midterms are always a hit or miss. Walking out of a midterm feeling insecure and actually getting a good grade makes everyone feel like they have hidden magical powers.

• When you come home for winter break and see all of your high school friends

Everyone comes home from college with crazy party stories, and it is so exciting to sit around with old friends reminiscing on your first semester so far.

• When people at home ask what you do for fun in college

I was never really into naps until I came to college, and now they are essential to getting through a day. College sleep schedules are so hectic that it is great to be able to lay down at 1pm on a Tuesday and just relax and sleep.

• When you don’t have meal plan on the weekends

My meal plan did not cover food on the weekends, so every weekend was a struggle to find leftover food to eat. My roommate and I used to buy chips and queso and eat that the whole weekend, because we were “ballers on a budget”

• When you get a little hangry after a long night at the library

Nothing is worse than sitting at the library for 5 hours with an empty stomach, so when I would finally get back to my dorm I would find myself acting super cranky until I got real food.

• When you come back after winter break ready for second semester

Everyone comes back from winter break feeling recharged and ready to take on their new classes.

• When halfway through the semester you realize you have learned nothing

Every once and a while, you will sit down in class three months into the semester and realize that you haven’t retained any of the information at all.

• Walking out of your last final of freshman year

Walking to pack up the rest of your dorm after your last final is always bittersweet because it is exciting to have a few months off of school, but it means you will leave your best friends you made in college for this few months.

• Realizing you won’t see any of your college friends over summer

It didn’t really hit me that I wouldn’t see my friends during summer until I was looking around my empty dorm room. This is by far the worst part of summer because you have grown accustomed to being around your friends 24/7, and are then expected to go without seeing them or 3 months.