In Dante’s Inferno, readers are introduced to the 9 layers of hell. They are defined by sin, and individuals are punished accordingly. In college, there can also seem to be layers of hell. No matter what brought you to college, you’ll be guaranteed to go through all the layers by the time you graduate.
Orientation is an overwhelming time. Between plunging into a new place, meeting new people and doing ice breaker after ice breaker, you’ll feel the exhaustion overtake you by the end of this first layer of college hell.
2. Homesickness:
Homesickness can hit you when you least expect it. Home can seem so far away at times and you’ll long for it when you reach this layer. You’ll wonder why you ever decided to come to college in the first place, but don’t worry, this layer goes by fast.
3.Anderson Food:
It may be a hell of a lot better than what you were eating in public schools, but after a while, you’ll find yourself eating the same thing every day. It’ll seem like the choices available never change, even though they do. Once you realize that Anderson food isn’t all that bad and the Grill is always there for you, then you’re ready for the next layer of college hell.
4.Loud Dorm Neighbors:
They’re the ones who sound like they’re having a whole house party in their tiny dorm room next door. Right when you’re about to fall asleep, they’ll yell next door and run around the halls. After a while, you’ll wonder if you really need sleep before your midterm or if you should storm out of your room to yell at your neighbors to go to bed.
5. Clogged Showers:
Does hair grow on walls? It does in dorm showers. It’ll fill the shower drain until each shower is clogged and water comes up to your ankles.
6. Group Projects:
These words can cause fear to fill the souls of every college student. You will be shoved into a random group of people. You’ll have to figure out a meeting time out of class, write a paper and/or do a presentation with a group of people who may or may not do their share. After experiencing this once, you’ll hope you’ll never have to repeat this layer ever again.
7. 8 a.m. Classes:
Rolling out of bed before 8 a.m., eyes stinging, mind full of fuzz, you’ll drag yourself into the morning class wishing you could be back in your bed. 8 a.m. classes may draw you in, as you harken back to your high school days when you were always up before the birds, but sleep is something treasured above all else in college, even if it seems like you’re getting none because of your 8 a.m. class.
8. Exams:
No matter how much you study, or how simple the teacher makes it sound, exams will make you stay up later than you’d like. Each exam will wear on your nerves as midterms and finals come and go. By the time you’re a senior, you’ll become so tired of tests and papers and aim simply for graduating.
9.Tuition Debt:
This final layer will make you dread ever coming to college. When you think of the money that you’ll have to dump into your school, you’ll get hives and start googling what organs you can sell.
Every college student has to endure Dante’s layers of college hell, but once you get through them into the real world, you’ll realize that you can survive a whole lot more than you’ve ever thought you could before. College is a time of growth and the annoyances can help you make it through.