2008 Woodie Awards
Living on campus? Relax, it could be worse
By: Brian Martucci
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Opinion
Many of the underclassmen I've talked to agree that one of the weakest aspects of the Macalester undergrad experience is that forced period of dorm living we all have to slog through as freshmen and sophomores.
Dupre, Doty, Turck-I mean, Turck's physically nice, and I suppose Wallace is too, but really all these dorms are the same on the inside.
They're cramped and crowded with tons of people who don't necessarily get along. The bathrooms and common rooms are often ludricrously filthy (those common kitchens?), and the rooms we're made to live in for over six months out of the year are in only a few instances built comfortably enough to make such extended occupancy bearable.
So a little more than a month ago, I returned to the country from a really fun study abroad experience in the UK, excited for the spring semester of my junior year.
I'd lined up what looked to be some cool classes that would actually count towards my major (how often does that happen?). I had an opening to return to the same job I'd had last spring and summer, and I was pumped to live with three of my good friends in a nice clean house close to campus.
'Optimistic' just doesn't do my feelings justice-I was ecstatic for spring semester to begin.
Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch. The past month has been a grab-bag of stressful occurrences, petty disputes and general unpleasantness.
For starters there's the food situation-who knew that having a sparkly new kitchen at your disposal meant ending that classic love-hate relationship all campus-dwellers maintain with Café Mac?
My knowledge of "cooking" before this semester stopped at adjusting the dials on a gas stove to boil some water for a tasty Annie's mac and cheese snack.
Ovens? Please. The first time my roommates suggested making some lasagna for a Tuesday night treat (who the hell celebrates Tuesday nights?), I laughed in their faces.
Then there's the bathroom situation. I lived in Dupre last year, so I'm no stranger to big bathrooms shared by more people who don't have sinks in their room than is perhaps sanitary.
Dupre, Doty, Turck-I mean, Turck's physically nice, and I suppose Wallace is too, but really all these dorms are the same on the inside.
They're cramped and crowded with tons of people who don't necessarily get along. The bathrooms and common rooms are often ludricrously filthy (those common kitchens?), and the rooms we're made to live in for over six months out of the year are in only a few instances built comfortably enough to make such extended occupancy bearable.
So a little more than a month ago, I returned to the country from a really fun study abroad experience in the UK, excited for the spring semester of my junior year.
I'd lined up what looked to be some cool classes that would actually count towards my major (how often does that happen?). I had an opening to return to the same job I'd had last spring and summer, and I was pumped to live with three of my good friends in a nice clean house close to campus.
'Optimistic' just doesn't do my feelings justice-I was ecstatic for spring semester to begin.
Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch. The past month has been a grab-bag of stressful occurrences, petty disputes and general unpleasantness.
For starters there's the food situation-who knew that having a sparkly new kitchen at your disposal meant ending that classic love-hate relationship all campus-dwellers maintain with Café Mac?
My knowledge of "cooking" before this semester stopped at adjusting the dials on a gas stove to boil some water for a tasty Annie's mac and cheese snack.
Ovens? Please. The first time my roommates suggested making some lasagna for a Tuesday night treat (who the hell celebrates Tuesday nights?), I laughed in their faces.
Then there's the bathroom situation. I lived in Dupre last year, so I'm no stranger to big bathrooms shared by more people who don't have sinks in their room than is perhaps sanitary.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Menstruation happens. Get used to it.
posted 2/26/08 @ 11:42 PM CST
"But at least none of your floormates are crass enough to leave their tampons sitting on the shelf-not even in the medicine cabinet, guys, but on the shelf above the toilet. (Continued…)
l
posted 2/27/08 @ 10:01 AM CST
So...what I've gathered from this is..
Brian does not know how to use an oven, but rather mocks those who do.
Brain believes that tampons have no place in the bathroom, cause really, heaven forbid, and
Brain is by far the whiniest person ever, and I'm glad I don't live with him. (Continued…)
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