Cold Cereal

College life sometimes is so bizarre I can't believe that I actually lived through some of my experiences. Like surviving on chips and salsa or cold cereal with expired milk. It's not like I am destitute but it is just how we are.... it is easier that way:) (Don't ask) This post is all about the crazy things college kids do.

1. College Kids will drive/ride in anything to get to class.
I was walking to my 7:45 class two days ago and I heard what sounded like a dying T-Rex coming up the road behind me. I turned and saw an ancient green Buick coming up the road. I didn't even think twice about how bad of shape that car was in, I just thought to myself. Man I wish I had a car to drive to class. Students frequently ride scooters to class and I have to admit.... I am jealous.

2. Since BYU-Idaho students don't usually consume alcohol at parties we bake.
We have every kind of party you can think of.... pie parties, jello parties, cookie parties, bake offs. No matter what kind of party you have there is an OVERLOAD of sweets and everything else under the sun that doesn't involve alcohol. I have gained a good seven pounds since being at college...... thanks alot.....

3. You live in the Library, this includes sleeping.
I have seen many things in the library, people eat there, people put on make up there, people even sleep in the library regularly. There are even strategies to sleeping methods. I have read a few including http://myhappilyevernow.blogspot.com/2010/09/secrets-to-perfect-library-nap.html. Read it... you will be blown away!

4. Hand me down silverware.
When I first came to school I lived in an apartment with five other girls I thought the apartment was going to be all done up and cute..... boy was I wrong. But probably the most disappointing thing was having to use the "who know how old this is" silverware. I remember reaching for a fork and going through all 20 forks to try and find one that didn't have a billion teeth marks in it. (I don't know why but teeth marks in silverware just kind of creep me out) Now the hand me down, miss-matched silverware is kind of endearing knowing that you didn't buy it yourself.

5. Living with people who are not related to you is totally foreign..... at first.
College was really my first time living away from home, so living with complete strangers really flipped my world around. You learn why everyone is so different and you realize that after a while you either really love the people you live with or you hate them (Trust me the first option is by far the better choice). You also learn that four straighteners, five cans of hair spray, two curling irons and an amplitude of makeup is all vital for six girls in one apartment.

6. College students never sleep (and if we do it is in the weirdest places)
On average I don't get over six hours of sleep up at school... ever. That is because there is always something better to do. There is homework, or studying for a test, there are always people to hang out with. There is always a random movie night or an awkward date to endure. In my apartment there are frequent 12:00 am jam sessions in the living room that are too fun to miss out on. Sleep is overrated... (Hence why I am blogging at 2:30 in the morning)

7. Holidays are non-existent.
For Easter this semester I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.... I know a pathetic meal, but preparing a fancy meal by yourself is a downer, and coordinating a meal with your roommates is harder than you think. Birthdays are usually really lame unless someone goes out of their way to plan a party for you. Your birthday cake is usually an old cake mix that was on sale at the grocery store, and you usually get gifts that bring back memories of preschool arts and crafts involving dried macaroni and play-dough because no one is wasting a dime on you and your special day.

8. Laundry costs an arm and a leg!
To run one load of laundry costs a $1.25 and to completely dry your clothes costs 75 cents. I usually have three loads so that costs me close to eight dollars every week..... You not only have to pay for the poor service that the ancient washing machines provide, you also have to haul your laundry down and back up three flights of stairs. You also have to fight for an open washer by stalking the laundry room with your 30lb bag of laundry, causing premature back problems and unwanted stress.

9. Vacations are common... and required
By the term vacation I mean, a vacation from wearing make up, or a vaction from your social life, or a vacation from school in general. You can't keep up with school, a social life and on top of all that "looking good" (meaning that you put forth a considerable amount of effort getting ready that day, which for me is about 45 minutes to an hour). You eventually will break down which was probably caused by a continued unhealthy habit of absolutely no sleep at all and an overload of homework.

10. College students will eat anything and everything at any time possible.
Since I don't have a car in little Rexburg I am at the mercy of my roommates to drive me to the grocery store. Another contributing factor is the fact that paying for food sometimes just isn't worth it so you live off of half a box of cereal for a week. Or in other cases you live off of the three cans of tuna you refused to eat when you actually had an option. I asked my roommate Susie what the weirdest thing she ate while up at school was and she told me that she had cooked spaghetti noodles and salsa. I have lived off of the same gallon of milk for about three weeks don't ask me how I did it. (I am just grateful that I am still alive to think twice about choosing to drink that two week old milk that is sitting in my fridge. Which I will probably pour over my cold cereal tomorrow morning....)

College life has it's ups and downs but for the most part the awkward/crazy moments are what make it worth it.