The Small Things

Over the course of my freshman year, I learned a few things about dorm life, college life, and my life. But instead of leaving a smorgasbord of profound closing thoughts, I decided to make a list of the small things that I wish I would have known on day one of my college adventure.

Don’t straighten your hair under the fire alarm, or the wretched thing will go off and scare the bejesus out of you. It is, in fact, entirely possible to clean your floor with Windex and toilet paper. If you can develop a crush on someone in every class, you are less likely to skip said classes.

Don’t procrastinate…pshaw, yeah right. If you get distracted easily, don’t study in your room because there are simply too many other fun things to do there, like staring at your lava lamp. Nap time and Disney movie nights are back.

Invest in a Snuggie. Keep an eye on your toilet paper; it has a habit of running out in moments of need.

If you’re a health nut, don’t eat in the cafeteria. If you don’t care about your health, then still don’t eat in the cafeteria.

After a few nights of limited sleep, stupid things seem hilarious, homework becomes rocket science, and staring into space thinking about absolutely nothing for extended periods of time is not just a possibility, but a certainty. Dr. Pepper plus a bowl of Lucky Charms equals a delicious dinner.

If you go home, don’t forget to take your laundry. Have plenty of change around to fund midnight snacks, and 1 a.m. snacks, and 2 a.m. snacks…And most importantly, Ramen noodles are far better if you put them in the microwave for six minutes, rather than the recommended three.

Of course self-discovery goes hand in hand with the college experience, so I suppose I could also name off the all-encompassing lessons about character that I’ve learned over the past 9 months.

But sometimes, the small things matter just as much.