thirty one

I have been a college student for thirty-one days.  I would have loved to have done this post yesterday, but Wednesday is my crazy day when I’m up at 7 and in bed at midnight.  Here’s a little glimpse into the knowledge I’ve picked up during my first month here.

1.  College is, at least in  my case, a lot more liberal than high school.  People are much more open about things than they are.  Probably has something to do with the maturity level, and how it actually seems that some guys have a shred of common sense.  It’s a wonderful change. 

2.  In living with fifteen other people, it has become apparent that we all like the thermostat at different temperatures.  This has resulted in war between those that like it tropical and those who like it snowing. 

3.  When you think twenty-five boxes of muffins will go bad before everyone gets a chance to eat them, remember you’re living with ten guys, and you’ll find that the muffins have been consumed by the end of two weeks.

4.  Learn to play the following: Brawl, Halo and Mario Kart.

5.  Post-it notes are a great way to cure boredom.

6.  Coffeehouse is a must.

7.  Aussies are significantly cooler than shakos.  And that college marching band is WAY different from anything I ever experienced in high school.

8.  Sometime your professors won’t be American.  This is a really cool and interesting experience, such as mine with my Latin American History professor, who was born and raised in Mexico, and studied at Oxford.  Sometimes it’s difficult when she speaks quickly, because then there’s little hope of understanding.  There’s just generally a very different perspective cast on learning at college, and it’s very much a do-it-yourself atmosphere.  It’s sink or swim. 

9.  Cafeteria food isn’t always bad, but sometimes it can be; i.e. Chinese food.  Which is probably why they send out menus in all the mailboxes for pizza places and Chinese places.

10.  There’s so much more you can do on campus.  There’s music, sports, and clubs.  There’s literally hundreds of options, but if there isn’t something you want, you can make it. 

11.  Being employed will help my bank account, but will seriously cut into my naptime.  I’m unsure how I feel about this. 

12.  The washing machines at the HILL are evil moneysuckers that should only be used when your basket is overflowing or you’ve run out of socks. 

13.  It’s okay to go to the Root Cellar without shoes.  This makes late night Ben and Jerry’s runs much easier.

14.  Do not leave facebook open on your laptop in the common area.  Ever.   Also, forts are even better in college.