5 Tips for Surviving Residence in College

A lot can't wait for it to be over; many don't want it to end. Here are five tips for surviving residence in College.

1. Keep your room relatively clean.

Dirty clothes will be your enemy. They will lay there on the ground until you decide it's time for a clean because Mommy isn't there to pick up your mess. Meanwhile, you're late for class because you're trying to find something that smells decent enough to wear in public. The mountain of clothes has grown so large that it takes up a good portion of your little cell they call residence. On top of your man-made mountain of clothes, you decided garbage cans don't exist and the floor is now its substitute. Crumbs and leftover pizza seems to take over the floor, sometimes mixing in with your clothes and if they weren't dirty to begin with, they probably are now. As someone who despises cleaning with a passion, I've created a system that works. There's not much to it other than what I like to call "The Cleanterval Schedule." This allows people who hate cleaning to live with significantly less mess. Essentially, you will clean in intervals. Pick two days during the week that are relatively spread out and come up with a reasonable number of clothing articles to pick up on that day. Your room won't be spotless, but that mountain will no longer exist and the floor will be visible once again. As for the food problem, you might want to invest in a small vacuum cleaner. It could be the best $30 you've ever spent.

2. Buy extra food for your room.

If your residence was anything like mine, you have to drag your lazy butt out of bed and go outside to get food from the cafeteria. Let me tell you this was not ideal, especially during the cold winter months. Save yourself the trip and invest in some microwaveable food which you can buy at practically any grocery store. These will come in handy late at night when you realize the cafeteria is too far to be worth your while. Other good options (if you have a mini fridge) are cold cuts, cheese slices, and maybe some fruit to keep it healthy. After two months of eating cafeteria food, you're going to be thanking me.

3. Get to know your roommates/floormates.

Meet new people—it will make your time at College that much better. Friends are everything when you're away at school and the more people you surround yourself with the more fun you're going to have (unless you're introverted). But seriously, there's some comfort in walking around and just knowing the people around you. You might even go on to live with these people in the upcoming years or even make friends for life. My first year of College away from home has taught me that it really is a small world. Chances are you're going to meet someone who has something in common.

4. The Library is your friend.

The library sucks. I know it, you know it. However, just dragging your lazy butt could work wonders. When you immerse yourself in an environment where other students are hard at work, it triggers something in your brain. Couple that with a few too many coffees and you'll be laughing at the 100 pages of readings you need to get through for tomorrow.

5. Coffee is everything.

You might think you spend a lot of money on drinks at the bar, but coffee will be high up on your expenses list. Coffee will the foundation of your existence in College. You'll crave it in the mornings, and you might even crave it at night. The number of coffees you will burn through in one year will have you thinking you've created a dependence on it, and you most definitely will. Nothing will compare to the jitteriness after downing two large coffees right before you sit down and get to work. Your legs will be shaking and your mind will be racing but hey, you're awake and that's the first step to surviving College.