1. So many stairs
Since I arrived on campus last week, I have climbed more stairs than I think I have in the last 18 years of my life. Three flights up to my room, three flights down, stairs to the third floor of the library, to the top of the Tang, and to classes in the Tisch 300s. Unfortunately I don’t think even the incredible amount of stairs is enough to cancel out all of my late night trips to dhall.
2. You have to pick a side
I had read about this phenomenon before arriving on Skidmore’s campus but did not think much of it. An online review of Skidmore’ social life had read “the cafeteria is divided into two sides. The athletes sit on the blue side and the “artsy” kids sit on the red side.” This can’t be true, I thought. This must be a broad generalization. A week in though and I automatically turn right after swiping my card. When I eat with my volleyball-playing roommate, I am taken aback by her automatic left. It’s a real thing, guys.
3. Everyone is a serial door holder
This is a nice thing to have to complain about, but it is a problem nevertheless. The polite student body of Skidmore college has already become a source of awkwardness, as I run to grab doors from people who have been holding them for me for far too long. Everyone here does this. It’s just a thing. If you are closer than 20 feet from the door, it is guaranteed that the person in front of you will hold it, for far longer than should be allowed. It almost always reaches the awkward zone, especially when entering a doorway with multiple doors. The “thank you”s get subsequently quieter and more awkward as it becomes repetitive, and I’ve found myself walking slower to let the person in front of me know its okay to just walk through. Thank you, Skidmore students, for being so polite, but lets just acknowledge that this sometimes goes overboard.
4. Everyone looks nice, all the time
Waking up for an 8 am class is the worst. I think we can all come to a consensus on this fact, yet few people ever show the extent of their agony. My brain tells me, upon waking to my 7:15 alarm, that I must immediately put on the most comfortable clothes I can find. Makeup? Optional. I quickly learned however, that that just isn’t the Skidmore way. Walking into my first 8 am class, I was greeted by dark lipstick, perfectly messy half-updos, and impeccably mismatched socks and dresses. How do they do it?? Everyone at this school looks perfect no matter the hour. This applies to late-night as well. Do they reapply their makeup? Iron their clothes? It’s a mystery, but wow does it work. I need to step up my game.
5. Window seats really are that great.
During my college search, I kept finding myself comparing the dorms of other schools to Skidmore. Yes, School X has AC, but does it have window seats? This was my favorite fun fact to throw out over the summer as well, which was always greeted with jealous oohs. There was never a point where I doubted the comfort level of the infamous window seats, and now that I am here, I can say that they live up to the hype. I am writing this from my window seat right now, enjoying a nice breeze that is the single thing keeping me from melting in my Penfield room. To the Skidmore architects: A+ job.