Every college town comes with its unique set of challenges. Most of us have found ourselves in these precarious positions, and vowed to never make that mistake again, but alas, we can’t always be so lucky.
Whether it’s your first semester or your last semester we all think we know better, but did we really learn our lesson? Here is a list of hard lessons every App student seems have to learn over and over again.
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Your First Boot
Sure you can disregard a parking ticket, but when your car gets booted the first time there’s no denying it. These apartment complexes mean business when they say no parking! Not only does having a booted car kill your night, but finding the $60 cash to remove it in time always proves to be an additional headache.
2. Always Carry Rain Gear
Everyone knows this, but for some reason when a sunny sky turns to grey storm clouds many of us are shocked that we happened to have forgotten our rain gear. Being stranded on campus with wet shoes, wet clothes, and a wet bag instantly ruins anyone’s day. Ray’s Weather does prove to be pretty helpful, but sometimes they don’t even see a shower coming.
3. Check your Email Before Every Class
Once again, this may seem redundant, but when you drag yourself out of your warm bed bright and early to get to your 8 a.m. nothing is worse than seeing the sign on the door telling you your class was cancelled.
4. Toilet Paper at House Parties
When you cram large crowds of people into a tiny apartment and throw alcohol into the mix, the bathroom gets overrun. Being stuck in a stranger’s bathroom without t.p. is the worst. Throw a small pack of tissues into your bag just in case.
5. Your Caffeine Addiction Will Drain Your Budget
That $6 double shot Chai at Crossroads may seem worth it at the time, but if that becomes an everyday occurrence come exam week you will be going through caffeine withdrawal and eating Wal-Mart mac and cheese for every meal. Consider yourself warned.
6. The Speed Limits in Boone
We all know that Rivers Street and 421 are speed traps. But when you’re in a hurry, or you’re thinking about other things and you may catch yourself going 10 over (or 20) around town. If this is your first time getting a ticket, you can take a class to get it dismissed as improper equipment, but the second time, your insurance will have to foot the bill for both violations.
7. The Bookstore Lines
If you don’t get your books before everyone moves in, we all know how long that line gets. Waiting 3 hours for a stack of books isn’t pleasant, but we seem to brave it year after year. The good news is we have the rare opportunity to rent most of the expensive ones, but the trade off is waiting in yet another long line at the end of the year to give them back.
8. The Boone Mall is Not Really a Mall
Sure, we have a Panera and a Bath and Body Works, but once you walk in, you realize it’s not your traditional mall. If you need an outfit for a special occasion and TJ Maxx doesn’t have it, you’re better off driving to Winston or waiting until your next trip home.
9. Yes, They Do Check Your App Card in the Library After 2 a.m.
Even if you have stayed after hours all week, the security guard will always make you stop what you’re doing and prove that you are in fact a tuition-paying-student. It’s a low point in the semester, but it happens.
10. Other Schools Will Close at the Sight of a Snow Flake
If snow is even in the forecast, most other NC schools will cancel classes. Don’t hold your breath though, because our campus is equipped to deal with snowfall and you will go to class in the snow. One day you will be able to tell your kids that you walked uphill in both directions to class knee-deep in snow.
11. Don’t Laugh at People When They Slip
Every time the streets freeze, you will see someone bust it on a slick patch of sidewalk or a frosty stairwell. Though it may look funny, don’t laugh at them- you’re probably next and it’s not so funny when it’s your turn to hit the ground.
12. The Dorms and Academic Buildings Will Never be the Right Temperature
Your room and classes will be blistering hot until the university decides its time for spring. Even if your building says it has AC, in the spring when the weather warms up, your vents will be pumping out heat until housing thinks the weather is stable enough to actually turn on the AC. Wear layers to class and invest in a little window fan.
13. You Will Never Understand How Belk Hall was Numbered
No matter how long you have been a student you will always get lost in Belk Hall. After all, it wasn’t built to be an academic building- it was the old library!
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