11 First-Semester Dorm Lessons College Kids Learn 2 Months In | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

11 First-Semester Dorm Lessons College Kids Learn 2 Months In

Who knew adulting was this difficult?!

150
11 First-Semester Dorm Lessons College Kids Learn 2 Months In
University of San Francisco

Living on your own for the first time opens your eyes to so many new problems you never thought you would encounter.

Here are some life lessons I've acquired during my first two months living in a dorm room.

1. Running out of food is basically the end of the world

Your stockpile of snacks will diminish quickly in college. Although, I still can’t decide if the scariest part of that is that now I have to venture to the dining hall or the fact that I ate all of that junk food in less than two months.

2. Doing laundry is the worst way to end the weekend

Sundays are hectic down in the basement. People are angry about classes the next day and everyone wants to take out their frustration by passive-aggressively waiting for you to get your clothes out of the washer.

3. The $50,000 that I pay for tuition definitely doesn’t go toward soundproof walls.


My next door neighbors always seem to be laugh-screaming about something. And it’s great that they’re having such a blast, but not when I’m trying to go to sleep on a Wednesday at 11 PM.

4. Lights are bright at night

You might be thinking, yeah duh. But just wait until you’re trying to descend into dreamland but your roommate has a better plan of sitting at her desk all night finishing an essay. Who knew one little LED desk light would be such a nuisance?

5. The garbage bin will seem to magically fill up on its own.

Wait, didn’t I just empty that trashcan yesterday, you may think. And yes, yes you did. The tiny garbage bin your dorm provides you can only contain so many takeout containers. Eventually, you will have to make that walk of shame to the trash room with those 3 Dominoes boxes.

6. Also, back to the tuition, it absolutely does not pay for the shower

To by fully honest, the real reason I went home for midterm break was to take an actual hot shower. If you’re like me and must have the water so hot it practically burns your flesh off, you’re in for a rude awakening at college. Waiting for the water to get warm is a game you will never win. And the more you wait, the worse the water pressure gets. A better shower is attainable at a Motel 6.

7. Flushing the toilet after midnight is the eighth deadly sin

For some ungodly reason, Marquette’s toilets are insanely loud. In my quad, our bathroom follows the policy of if the sun is down and all our lights are off, the toilet is not flushed. Trust me, waking up to mystery pee in the toilet is a thousand times better than being woken up by an actual toilet from Hell.

8. Climbing into a lofted bed doesn’t seem like it would be a problem, but oh it is.

I’m pretty sure I have dislocated my knee at least once trying to climb into my bed. The ladder is flat and awkward at the end of the bed, leaving you desperately grabbing for your blanket to pull yourself to safety. It does look kinda funny though when your roommate jumps out of her bed like a skydiver.

9. Seeing a dog outside is a privilege and you must take advantage of it!

Dorms only allow fish, so basically no cuddle-able pets allowed. Therefore, anytime someone is walking their dog on campus, it is necessary to spend as much time with it as you possibly can. Like Michael Scott once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. -Wayne Gretzky.” Not stopping to pet a dog can literally ruin your day in college.

10. By October, dining hall food will actually seem like slop.

There are only so many Saturdays you can eat chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese before it gets old. All of the dining halls begin recycling their meals at this point in the semester, sadly, leaving you to wallow in a food rut. The lack of restaurants on campus also adds on to the seasonal food blues.

11. Even though loneliness is inevitable, everyone living around you feels the same way.

Living on your own for the first time is rough, but luckily almost everyone on campus is going through the same struggle. Although times may be frustrating, it’s important to remember that we are all in the same boat. We can all get through it, together.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

13052
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2373
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1451
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments