WEEKLY CAMPUS CRAZE.

Sit back. Relax. And pray a floor mate doesn’t think it’d be funny to tip you while you’re sleeping.

SHOWERS.

We all get busy. And, let’s be honest, most of us forget to shower. One day, two days, 3 weeks. It’s the circle of life.

Schedules get filled up. Sometimes the reality of the matter is that there’s just no room for a shower. You are torn from your slumber with 3 minutes to get to class, have a meeting, next class, lunch, next class, waste time (not to be confused with having free time or an opportunity for showering), dinner, study, TV, hang out, hang in, take a nap, think about going to bed, watch a three hour movie, go to bed. Then the process repeats. Strenuous days like this simply inhibit the average student from attaining what may be considered the common standards of cleanliness.

But it’s okay! Because, luckily, you’re at college. Nobody in their right mind expects you to wash yourself consistently when there’s so much work to be done.

Really, it’s as simple as that. Just wanted to give a hollar to all the kids who have been waiting for a showertunity for the last 9 days. My friends, your time will come. Until it does, just Febreeze yourself. Nobody really showers anymore anyway.

Welcome to college.

DECK THE HALLS.

Deck the halls. Literally. Halls all over campus are being trimmed and fashioned in liking to the Christmas season. Lights, tinsel, dancing inflatable Santa blow-up decor. Behold, it is upon us.

College kids all over are prematurely prepping for this holiday. And it’s barely November. The day after Halloween the trees went up. Now, let’s be realistic. In light of this, you might ask questions like: Who needs two months of the year to celebrate one holiday? Won’t it get old by the time Christmas actually does roll around? What kind of fine would I have to pay if I snapped the arms and legs off of that kid down the hall’s obnoxiously loud singing/dancing candy cane man wall ornament?

I implore you, cease these Grinch-like musings.

It may seem like everyone has a little too much jolly on their trolly, but let’s look at this a different way. The life of your average stress-plagued and burnt out college student commonly balances on the fine edge of sanity and complete mindlessness. Students everywhere are begging for things to distract them from the anxieties of exams and papers. They need them. They need a little light at the end of the tunnel. (Or, in this case, a little light at the end of the reindeer nasal cavity.) For many, Christmas fulfills this function. Hence the stretched-out, overdone enthusiasm and preparation.

So, despite the inescapable repetitions of the new Justin Bieber Christmas CD that have already broken your soul in the deepest of places, try to show some understanding. They’re just trying to stay sane. (And hey, I hate to say it, but “Mistletoe” might even be a little catchy. Decide for yourself.)

Ho Ho Ho, Welcome to college.

WEEKLY CAMPUS CRAZE.

Few things make you you feel like you’re wearing clouds on the lower half of your body. Pajama pants do this. That’s why everyone has been jumping on the bandwagon.

BREAKFAST. LUNCH. DINNER.

Let me just take this opportunity to emphasize the necessity and universality of Pop-Tarts in the collegiate life. Just as rice is the staple food many places on earth, so, too, is the common Pop-Tart within many dorms. If we’re being honest, there is no greater food. I might say that a lot, because a lot of foods are worthy of attention, but this time it’s true.

Pop-Tarts are fitting for every meal. If this isn’t obvious to you, you need to reevaluate your life. From the moment you wake up to the moment you think about going to sleep (but never really get around to it), these sweet pastries can satisfy your deepest hunger cravings. It’s best to always have a box handy. Or several. Options are key.

And the options only continue to expand! What started out as a simple choice between strawberry or brown sugar as a child has now become a wonderful cereal-aisle selection experience chock-full of choices. Even now, new flavors are being released. Just yesterday I witnessed the wonder of: hot fudge sundae, grape, and cinnamon roll. BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE! Take into consideration all the flavors available. Now, think about how many different ways there are to prepare them. There’s more options at your fingertips than bad Nickleback songs! (Okay, sorry. That’s a stretch.)

What’s that you say? You didn’t know there were differing forms of Pop-Tart prep!? O, glory. Frozen, toasted, straight from the box, deep-fried, lightly chilled, baked- I could go on!

People say that dogs are a man’s best friend. Well, I don’t know about you, but the last time I checked, it wasn’t socially acceptable to put my dog in the toaster and eat it for brunch. I’d say Pop-Tarts take the cake (<- another flavor).

 

Welcome to college.

 

 

VIRAL JUNK MY DORM LIKES.

Hope you enjoyed the series. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. If you listen to pop radio at all, you’ve heard this man’s name at least four million times. Most likely because it’s the leading lyric in every one of his songs.

COEXISTING WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. PART 5: ROUGH STUFF.

Yes, there are joys found in living with another person. But sometimes things don’t go so smooth. As humans, conflict is bound to happen at some point, and the reality that you’re living in such close proximity to this person only helps to magnify whatever disagreements you might have. There’s a little thing that comes into play when junk like this comes up: grace.

They ruined your favorite coat. They ate the last cookie in the care package your mom sent you. They forgot to feed your fish while you went home over fall break. Okay, so it’s apparent that your roommate screws up. But it’s also apparent to them that you’re just as much of a hassle. You aren’t necessarily all that and a bag a chips yourself, if you know what I’m saying.

The reality is this: you’re living together. Neither of you is perfect, accept it. Work through it. Have some grace with the person you’re living with. It’ll save you hours of headache and heartache.

 

Welcome to college.

COEXISTING WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. PART 4: BUDDIES.

So you have a roommate. You both sleep in the same room. Your clothes both get tossed on the same floor. You both contribute to the overflowing trashcan. But is it possible to be besties with your boarding bud?

Just to be straight up honest, there’s no guarantee that a “best friend-ship” will form while you’re living with your roommate. And it would simply be foolish to expect such a thing to happen. There is a possibility, though, that authentic friendship can blossom. And if that is the case with you and your roomie, you’re a fortunate soul.

Having a roommate that you can also call a friend is a huge blessing while you’re in college. Some days will crush you. Some days will spit in your face. You will be pushed to your breaking point. But to have a friend close-at-hand that you can vent to or laugh with whenever needed is such an important thing to find. Even if it isn’t your roommate, there are probably some pretty awesome people living relatively close that can fill this role in your life. Seek them out. Invest.

Then there are those roommate who try to be absolute BFF’s with each other. They are inseparable. Literally 24/7. You never see one without the other. And this can be great for some people! Just be sure that you’re giving each other space when needed, or you’re bound to get sick of your roommate pretty fast. You and your roommate don’t have to be best friends. A lot of people feel this pressure. If you are, great! But you really don’t need to be.

There is immense value in simply being able to communicate openly with the person you’re living with. Because of this, I’d say it’s absolutely worth a shot to do what you can to build up that friendship. You don’t gotta go together like peanut butter and jelly. Just get through college in one piece. And hey, if you’re lucky you’ll come out on the other side with another person to call friend.

COEXISTING WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. PART 3: SHARING.

There are boundless benefits in having a roommate. And these aren’t merely internal, heart-and-soul perks. The bounty can be harvested in an external sense as well. By this I’m referring to the fact that, if allowed, your acquisition of a roommate will automatically result in your property essentially being doubled. But there’s a catch. You gotta share your stuff too.

There comes a time in every college students when they need midnight treatie and are fresh out of ramen. There comes a point when every pair of underwear you own has failed the cleanliness test. There comes a moment when your only pillow is being used as a toboggan down the stairs to your dorm. These are the times when having a roommate, and (if they’re generous) all of their belongings, is a huge win.

Often times, a “what’s mine is yours” policy is enacted. This, however, can be risky. Not everything should necessarily be up for grabs. Be sure to make the boundary lines known. There are things in every person’s life that are special to them. But if something isn’t exceedingly personal, breakable, or sentimental, there’s usually no harm in being willing to share it. This generosity opens the door for them to share back with you. And believe me, you’ll appreciate that when you find yourself in dire need of clean underbritches.

But don’t do it just for what you can get back in return. Sharing is the right thing to do. So do it. Be the type of roommate you would want to have.

Moral of the story: sharing is caring. Unless it’s the flu.

COEXISTING WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. PART 2: YOU’RE NOT ALONE.

There’s truly a lot to be gained when living with another person. It’s not easy. It’s not even always fun (though sometimes it can be). Regardless, it is still an opportunity that should not be squandered.

Something that I’ve found to be a primary benefit in coexisting with someone else has merely been the development of an awareness beyond myself. It’s a rude awakening when you realize that there’s someone else to be considered when you’re relaxing, when you’re working, and even when you’re sleeping. It sounds strange, or maybe obvious, but bare with me. Your habits and decisions don’t just impact your schedule and routine anymore. And if you’re willing, you begin to more clearly see the things within yourself that need to change.

This may not always be evident on a large scale. You’re probably not doing everything with your roommate, they’re probably not always with you, and not every decision you make will have a dramatic impact on their life. But there are lessons to be learned in the little things of life. Something so small as turning on the lights influences not only you, but maybe your sleeping roommate who just crashed from an academic all-nighter. Stuff like that. Living with them is sort of, in a weird way, a mini lesson in seeing things outside your own little world.

The opportunity for developing this awareness is unique in many ways to the roommate situation. You can’t escape them when you get sick of how they do things, and they’re in the same boat with you. You’re usually stuck trying to make things work as best you can. So take that opportunity. And even if your not good friends, respect and consideration are still incredibly important, just as they will be throughout the rest of your life and relationships.