Oh, Dinkytown. The tiny college oasis sits on the edge of campus and is just far enough away to leave your stresses of the week behind while you head to Blarney’s on a Friday night or just back to one of the many apartments within it. Whether you live here or just frequent Mesa Pizza, Dinkytown is a necessity to life at the U and comes with struggles we are all aware of, like…
1. Falling asleep to the sounds of sirens on a nightly basis.
2. Side-stepping empty beer bottles on the sidewalk on your way to that 8 a.m. without even batting an eye.
3. Getting catcalled just walking down the street, trying to minding your own business.
4. Walking past the homeless people and feeling guilty for not giving them any money then realizing that you’re a poor college student who doesn’t even have money for yourself.
5. When you try to eat healthy but…hello there, malt from Annie’s Parlour.
6. Chipotle > Qdoba, but sadly, Chipotle is a million miles away in Stadium Village.
7. Selling your soul to pay your rent.
8. No matter what time it is, someone outside is yelling.
9. Spending your life savings at Gina+Will even though it’s a thrift store.
10. Passing Starbucks and thinking, “Do I really need another coffee today?” (Hint: The answer is always yes.)
11. Seeing people walking their dogs across the street and almost getting hit by a car trying to pet them.
12. Taking the Blarney Bus as a makeshift shuttle from the sporting events back to Dinkytown because that walk is a hard pass.
13. Do I really need to see Carly Rae Jepsen at Varsity Theater instead of studying for my exam on Monday that’s worth half of my grade? DUH.
14. Telling your mom you’re going to the Library tonight, knowing full well she has no idea what you actually mean. We all know what you mean.
15. When all you want are some hangover-curing pancakes but the line for Al’s is a mile down the street. Come one people, I need this more than you do.
16. If you can’t parallel park, you’re screwed.
17. Target Express is where your paycheck goes to die. *Just stops in for some milk…leaves with half the store and no milk.*
18). Knowing that no matter what, your years spent in Dinkytown will be ones to remember.