I spent last semester at home as a remote student due to COVID. Now that I’m back, there are things that I’m very grateful for, and I’ve realized that I missed a lot when I was not on campus. Here are some of those things!
- Late study sessions
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I never thought I would say that I missed studying, but I miss sitting with my roommates and studying. Now that we have a large kitchen table, we can all sit there and study together. It’s so nice to not study alone. This wasn’t something I realized I missed that much when I wasn’t living on campus.
- Being on the pool deck
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Walking onto the pool deck always gives me a sense of peace. The pool is a place I associate with my friends, and with getting work done, so being there generally makes me feel happy. Being back there this semester brings me a sense of normalcy, and the smell of chlorine releases endorphins for me at this point.
- The C-store
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The c-store doesn’t get the credit it deserves. We have a store on campus that sells snacks, ready made food, and a handful of other necessities such as shampoo, pencils, and notebooks. Some of my favorites include the ready made salads and pints of ice cream. The store has gas station convenience store vibes, but with much friendlier staff and much cleaner… well, everything. It’s fast, it’s awesome, and it’s on the meal plan. I love it.
- Being able to see my friends at a moment’s notice
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This is something I don’t take for granted anymore. When I lived at home with my parents during quarantine, things were different. I could bug my mom, but sometimes she was busy. I couldn’t really bug my dad, because he worked from home and I would likely be interrupting them. But now, I can go upstairs and ask my roommates if they want to study with me, or go for a walk, or make coffee. Usually, they say yes. It’s amazing, and I’m so lucky to be able to live with my best friends.
- Getting free things all over the place
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The other day, someone in the biology building was giving out free snacks and plants. Who can complain about that? My roommate and I went in, had a conversation with some of the biology professors who offered us fruit snacks, aloe plants, and potato chips, and then we moved on with our day. Last week, I got a free tee-shirt just because I participated in a webinar. I’m going to miss all the free giveaways when I graduate.