College. Its right around the corner, but are any of us really prepared?
Personally, I wish I could say that I’ll be put together in college, that my dorm will be pristine and my mental health untouched during finals season. I’d like to be the girl with the perfectly organized notes, making 5AM study runs and hitting the gym daily. Unfortunately, that may be a bit idealistic (but who says I can’t try?)
Over this summer, I participated in Boston University’s RISE (Research in Science and Engineering) program – a research program meant, in part, to give a taste of the college experience. I spent 6 weeks living in dorms with no AC, a thousand miles away from my parents. Undoubtedly, I had my share of slip-ups, including but not limited to:
- Forgetting to check the weather and leaving the window open during a thunderstorm;
- Letting my snack stockpile run out and having to leave the dorm at 12pm to buy a cookie;
- Deciding not to bring my computer charger to a study session and running out of battery an hour in.
Of course, mistakes were made. But they say mistakes are just learning experiences in disguise, and I suppose that’s true. From my blunders, I’ve gained some useful information, and hopefully, I’ll step onto my university campus a bit more prepared.
A few things that got me through my 6 weeks (and hopefully the next years of college):
- Checking the weather. Speaking from personal experience, it’s not fun coming out of class to be met with a thunderstorm, only to realize that your dorm is a 10 minute walk away and that you didn’t bring an umbrella. It’s even less fun to walk that 10 minutes, entering your room drenched, only to find that you didn’t close your window in the morning. To avoid walking around class in wet socks and catching a cold, I learned to check the weather every morning. If it’s forecasted to rain, then bring an umbrella, always.
- Figuring out laundry. The laundry room is PACKED on the weekend – as in all machines in use and queues to use the washer. Instead of dealing with the crowd, I started doing laundry on the weekdays. I also quickly learned never to leave clothes in the dryer. Be ready to take clothes out before the cycle ends, or someone else will do it for you. I’ve seen people come late, only to find their clothes piled on top of the dryer, strewn across the floor, or sitting in a pot of bleach. The extra unlucky found themselves victim to campus clothing thieves.
- Getting a microwave, refrigerator and snack stash. Every university has different rules, but if your dorm allows, a microwave-refrigerator set will be your savior. There were days where it was thunderstorming, freezing, dark, or I was simply too tired to walk to the dining hall after scrambling to finish an assignment due the next day. Many days, you’ll want to eat a warm bowl of mac-and-cheese in your PJs as you cry over math homework. Side note: waffle makers are also a great investment. There’s nothing more therapeutic than Mickey Mouse shaped waffles on a Monday morning.
- A Tide Pen. Tide Pens are pocket-sized, highlighter-esque stain removers – capable of obliterating anything from minor smears to full-sized coffee spills. One day, I remember dipping the sleeve of my white hoodie in marinara sauce, producing a stain that persisted no matter how hard I cleaned it. My friend pulled out a Tide Pen, and as I scrubbed, I watched in fascination as the stain disappeared before my eyes, as if by magic. In my opinion, Tide Pens are a must for college, and in general life. I now keep one in every bag I own.
What I listed were just a few tidbits that helped make my experience run a bit smoother. Of course, there’s countless other aspects I omitted, and many experiences which I myself didn’t undergo (after all, it was only 6 weeks!) If you talk with others or scroll through the internet, you’ll be sure to find countless more tips. But in the end, no matter how much we prepare, we’ll all make mistakes in college – it’s inevitable. It will be a time for us to learn and grow, to discover ourselves and where we fit into the larger society. College is an amazing opportunity to try new things, meet new people, get involved, and chase our passions. Our mistakes will shape us as we transition into adulthood – though the process may be bumpy, I know it’ll be fulfilling and absolutely worth it.
Interesting insights Claire!
This is actually so useful, thank you. I could use the weather tip here, not even at college. I like leaving my bedroom window open, but so many times it will rain while my window is still open, which like you said isn’t the most welcoming surprise. I feel like I need to get into the habit of checking the app every morning. I have spent a little time in college dorms as well, and I cannot agree more about your tip on snacks. The amount of times I get hungry and there’s nothing to eat in the room, or I have to keep asking my dorm buddy for their snacks, is insane. I feel like I need to just carry snacks on me constantly. I did see your tide pen a few times recently, and it’s kind of cool knowing where you got that idea from. I like that your blog post makes me feel a little more prepared for college; I can’t wait, I’m so excited.
Claire,
Okay. Look. Personally, I find you to be 100x more organized than I am. Remember that one science bowl field trip that we took in April/May? While me and the other guys were consistently sleeping at 12 AM (hey, look, consistency!!! :D), you were always really disciplined and slept promptly at like 9/10PM. The curfew at 11PM for you never seemed to be a concern.
Anyways, I digress.
Great educational post. Will keep it in the back of my mind. Especially the point about Tide Pod Pens – I’ll get one of those hopefully!!!
But you know, this is a great point about living independently. At home, there’s a lot of responsibilities that are offloaded from my back, but in college, such securities will no longer be guaranteed. It will be an interesting challenge, and I’m honestly pretty excited about this endeavor.
Good luck on your college apps, Claire!
Best,
Kai Liu
Hi Claire,
Your experience over the summer sounds so fun! I can’t imagine being away for six weeks (I get homesick after three), but it seems like this was something you took a lot away from. I definitely agree with your point about getting a tide pen (this is an essential in my own life), although I’m not sure if I’ll ever have the discipline to make 5 AM study runs. I am curious to hear how you found Boston as a whole. Were you able to spend a lot of time off campus? Did you try any lobster rolls? I was able to visit Boston for a couple days last spring, and can’t say I have a lot of love for the city, it’s a little cold for me, but the Boston Airport has to be my favorite out of any I’ve seen. Thanks for all the great packing tips, I’ll have to keep them in mind for packing next summer, (crazy that it’s coming up so fast!).
What an interesting event, a pre-college experience. It sounds like a good time. Six weeks at Boston University in a dorm room with no air-conditioner. BRUTAL! The learning experience sounds valuable and I am certain it will (to a degree) prepare you for your freshman year. The tidbits you shared are of course valuable. Thanks for sharing.
Claire, it was so interesting to read about your experiences with living on campus and learning about college life! I wish I participated in a program like this — it seems like you’re pretty well-prepared and knowledgeable now.
I’m so worried about what people consider to be more important aspects of college that I didn’t even think about basics like laundry, weather, and food. Reading your blog made me realize that I have it really easy at home, since clean clothes and snacks are readily available and the weather isn’t a problem. I’m actually excited to do more walking instead of having to drive everywhere, but I never considered that bad weather might be a huge issue. And on the topic of food, as of late, parents keep telling me to enjoy my homemade meals while I can. I can already envision myself living off mediocre dining hall food and unhealthy snacks in college :,)
Thank you for the advice of things that need to be brought for college. I’ve been loving watching videos on people going to college and what they brought. It is nice that you got a glimpse of college life before you actually went and now know what to get for yourself before you start. Realizing that you should do laundry on the weekdays rather than the weekends is something people won’t tell you. Although since you have already gone for a while you know things that other freshmans would take a while to learn. Since you have already gone to college for a bit are you as scared as you think you would have been?
It’s really cool that you already have a first-hand experience with the college lifestyle already. A lot of these tips are very helpful. As I’ve always done laundry on the weekends, it’s interesting to see someone prefer to do their cycle on a weekday. I personally never had problems with anyone stealing clothes, so it might be interesting to see that happen in University. I recently visited my sister’s apartment in Berkeley where she goes to college, and I observed that her fridge was completely filled. Although she has roommates, it seems that they’re using it to its fullest capabilities. I find the tide pen very interesting, and I might try it out in college. Overall a very insightful and helpful blog.
It’s really interesting to see insight on the college experience from someone who has had firsthand experience. The good thing is that I check weather regularly. As someone who does laundry on the weekends, I find it interesting that it’d be better to start the cycle on a weekday. I recently visited my sister’s apartment in Berkeley where she goes to college, and the fridge there was completely full. Although she has roommates, it’s safe to say that they’re using it to its fullest capabilities. I think that the Tide Pen will be interesting, I’ll definitely give it a try when I go to University. Thanks for giving insights on College beforehand.