Or dear me one year ago. Whatever. This post may be a bit scatter brained; I had to get up at 3 this morning (1 am MDT) to catch my first flight, but I didn't fall asleep until about 1:30 because my roommate had the lights on. Which leads me to my topic for this post: as of yesterday evening, I officially have one semester of college under my belt. I'd like to share what I've learned, what I'm glad I knew before hand, and things I still need to learn.
What I'm Glad I Already Knew:
I'm super grateful I know how to follow a budget and balance a checkbook. Yes, it's boring and yes, it will totally cramp your style, but you won't regret it.
Over the summer, I realized I really didn't like my bank. So I switched. At this stage in life, nothing makes you feel more grown-up than choosing a bank without input from your parental unit, and then setting up a new account. Oh, and telling your previous bank exactly why you're leaving.
Also flying across the country by yourself. If you can get you and all of your stuff across the country by yourself and you can do something adult-ish like choosing your own bank, you can do anything your first year of college requires you to do.
What I Wish I'd Known:
I really wish I knew how to use the presets on the washer. I've done my own laundry for years, but I've always used a washer that was new enough that I could control everything about it. The washer and dryers at the dorms are ancient. In fact, in one of the dryers, you can only leave your clothes in for a max. of 20 minutes, or you will burn yourself on your pants. Have you ever burned your hand on your jeans? Yeah, not pretty.
This one is more for the ladies, because young men usually get home teaching assignments. I had no idea how to visit teach. Or how to be visit taught, for that matter. At our house, when the visiting teachers come over, you leave. As far away as possible. My advice: go visiting teaching with your mothers, or sit with her when the ladies come over. At the very least, listen in on what's going on.
I thought I knew this one, but I guess I didn't. Even if you're like "Duh Quinn, everyone knows that" it still bears repeating: Never go to Walmart on a Saturday. Especially not in December. Nothing you need is so important that you want to risk your life in that way.
What I've Learned:
Mostly I've learned to appreciate things I didn't think were important in any way. For example, toilet paper. Who'd have thought that toilet paper that comes in squares is a blessing? Trust me, it is!
I've definitely learned how to get along with people on a level I haven't had to do before. I can usually get along with people, but try living (that means sleeping, eating, dressing, relaxing, studying, bathroom sharing) with two other girls in a room only large enough for three beds, three desks, and three closets. I absolutely love my roommates, but we still have to be patient with each other when one person wants the heater up to 80, and the other two want it to be about 60. Or when one person wants to stay up really late when you have to get up really early. But I have been very blessed to live with awesome girls; we get along great, and communicate well when something is wrong. Because there can be many tears and angry feeling because of roommates.
Living in a dorm setting has also taught me patience. I know I've said this one before, but it's really like living in a girls-only hotel with no swimming pool, free breakfast, or room service. That means you hear everything that happens in the rooms on either side of you, what happens across the hall from you, what's going on in the room above you, what's happening in the lobby, and the constant moving of the elevator. It sucks.
I've learned to not become attached in any way to your clothes, because the washer and dryer will ruin them.
There will be a considerable amount of super-duper-uber awkward moments. Seriously, just get them over with and move on. Singles wards can be awkward-you'll get use to having home teachers come over just to see you. Actually, no, you probably won't. I'll admit it, those 15 minutes where we make awkward conversation are the worst 15 minutes of every month. But it's only 15 minutes, and at least they're trying.
Those times when you sigh, "I can't wait for people to grow up and be mature." Yeah, I'm still sighing that. Trust me, there will still be drama (less of it though!) and there will still be immature, irresponsible people. That's just dealing with humans.
Build a good relationship with your professors, you will not regret it! Participate in class, ask questions, go to the study sessions, take advantage of the professors' offers of help. They want to help you! If they see you are taking your education seriously, they will take you seriously and will be more willing to help you. So far, my professors have dropped my lowest test score so I would still have an A, offered to write letters of recommendation, and offered to help me make law school/career connections with people I would never have met on my own. Don't be a brown-noser; just let them know you're interested in what they have to teach. Or in the very least, doing well in their class.
And that is the end of the lessons I can think of currently. There are probably more important ones I have learned, but I don't think well with only two hours of sleep. But it's totally worth it; in approximately 14 hours I'll be in my own bed at home. My real home. Where there are people who love me no matter what. And snow. There is also snow, which I'm excited for, although I did really enjoy walking around with just a t-shirt and jeans yesterday.
Soon Blackfoot, I will see you soon!
What I'm Glad I Already Knew:
I'm super grateful I know how to follow a budget and balance a checkbook. Yes, it's boring and yes, it will totally cramp your style, but you won't regret it.
Over the summer, I realized I really didn't like my bank. So I switched. At this stage in life, nothing makes you feel more grown-up than choosing a bank without input from your parental unit, and then setting up a new account. Oh, and telling your previous bank exactly why you're leaving.
Also flying across the country by yourself. If you can get you and all of your stuff across the country by yourself and you can do something adult-ish like choosing your own bank, you can do anything your first year of college requires you to do.
What I Wish I'd Known:
I really wish I knew how to use the presets on the washer. I've done my own laundry for years, but I've always used a washer that was new enough that I could control everything about it. The washer and dryers at the dorms are ancient. In fact, in one of the dryers, you can only leave your clothes in for a max. of 20 minutes, or you will burn yourself on your pants. Have you ever burned your hand on your jeans? Yeah, not pretty.
This one is more for the ladies, because young men usually get home teaching assignments. I had no idea how to visit teach. Or how to be visit taught, for that matter. At our house, when the visiting teachers come over, you leave. As far away as possible. My advice: go visiting teaching with your mothers, or sit with her when the ladies come over. At the very least, listen in on what's going on.
I thought I knew this one, but I guess I didn't. Even if you're like "Duh Quinn, everyone knows that" it still bears repeating: Never go to Walmart on a Saturday. Especially not in December. Nothing you need is so important that you want to risk your life in that way.
What I've Learned:
Mostly I've learned to appreciate things I didn't think were important in any way. For example, toilet paper. Who'd have thought that toilet paper that comes in squares is a blessing? Trust me, it is!
I've definitely learned how to get along with people on a level I haven't had to do before. I can usually get along with people, but try living (that means sleeping, eating, dressing, relaxing, studying, bathroom sharing) with two other girls in a room only large enough for three beds, three desks, and three closets. I absolutely love my roommates, but we still have to be patient with each other when one person wants the heater up to 80, and the other two want it to be about 60. Or when one person wants to stay up really late when you have to get up really early. But I have been very blessed to live with awesome girls; we get along great, and communicate well when something is wrong. Because there can be many tears and angry feeling because of roommates.
Living in a dorm setting has also taught me patience. I know I've said this one before, but it's really like living in a girls-only hotel with no swimming pool, free breakfast, or room service. That means you hear everything that happens in the rooms on either side of you, what happens across the hall from you, what's going on in the room above you, what's happening in the lobby, and the constant moving of the elevator. It sucks.
I've learned to not become attached in any way to your clothes, because the washer and dryer will ruin them.
There will be a considerable amount of super-duper-uber awkward moments. Seriously, just get them over with and move on. Singles wards can be awkward-you'll get use to having home teachers come over just to see you. Actually, no, you probably won't. I'll admit it, those 15 minutes where we make awkward conversation are the worst 15 minutes of every month. But it's only 15 minutes, and at least they're trying.
Those times when you sigh, "I can't wait for people to grow up and be mature." Yeah, I'm still sighing that. Trust me, there will still be drama (less of it though!) and there will still be immature, irresponsible people. That's just dealing with humans.
Build a good relationship with your professors, you will not regret it! Participate in class, ask questions, go to the study sessions, take advantage of the professors' offers of help. They want to help you! If they see you are taking your education seriously, they will take you seriously and will be more willing to help you. So far, my professors have dropped my lowest test score so I would still have an A, offered to write letters of recommendation, and offered to help me make law school/career connections with people I would never have met on my own. Don't be a brown-noser; just let them know you're interested in what they have to teach. Or in the very least, doing well in their class.
And that is the end of the lessons I can think of currently. There are probably more important ones I have learned, but I don't think well with only two hours of sleep. But it's totally worth it; in approximately 14 hours I'll be in my own bed at home. My real home. Where there are people who love me no matter what. And snow. There is also snow, which I'm excited for, although I did really enjoy walking around with just a t-shirt and jeans yesterday.
Soon Blackfoot, I will see you soon!
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