Three Lists of Seven: After Midterms
College Life Involves:
Lots and lots of writing emails. Incidentally, I hate emails.
Mountains more homework than I’m used to. It feels like running ahead of an avalanche.
Late nights, despite attempts otherwise. (I haven’t given in to coffee yet.)
Many random events, concerts, plays, games, lectures, and parties–most of which I fail to attend.
Having a roommate. This is a frustrating enterprise, particularly when you don’t go to sleep at the same time and they are sensitive to light.
Being on time to classes, which I have mostly managed so far.
Great emphasis on how you should care more about learning than grades, at which I have excelled so far.
Life in Wheaton:
I am an hour’s walk to the grocery store. Why does America not have convenience stores?
I am surrounded by neighborhoods of giant, beautiful houses with perfectly cut yards.
There appears to be a church on every corner.
The bells can be heard from anywhere remotely near campus, and have become as familiar as the neighborhood mosque in Tunis.
One cannot get anywhere without a car, which is obnoxious to this nineteen-year-old who still doesn’t have a license.
Election ads are ubiquitous, and annoying when you feel like you can’t get away from them.
Apparently I needed a bigger coat. Thanks, Cliffords.
Adult Life:
My wish list now features both wool socks (for my freezing feet) and fruit snacks at similar prominence.
I deeply wish I could make my own food instead of relying on the dining hall. The specific meal times are annoying.
Finding your own church is more difficult than I thought, but I managed and am loving that new community!
I am better than I thought at saying “no” to things, unless those things are more classes. In that case, I just want to take them all.
Just because I can handle being away from family doesn’t mean I like it.
I have to adjust to planning ahead of time, even ridiculously so. That’s a thing here, apparently. Spontaneity is a foreign dream.
I have now made a habit of consistently doing laundry and dishes and making the bed. Additionally, I can keep plants alive that aren’t cacti.