College feels like an incredible excuse to chase after the best feelings in the world. The ones that stop you in your tracks, warmth blooming through you. Or maybe they hit you later than you expect, when you’re done processing everything, and it feels like slow, easy contentment.
Nothing beats those moments of joy, you know? And with every good taste of life, there’s always a little piece of bad. But strangely enough, I don’t detest the bad moments as much as I used to (it makes me sound pretentious, I know, I hate it too). It kind of makes the good moments that much more enjoyable. Every life needs balance — like eating an apple with cookie dough (try it. You won’t be disappointed).
Here’s a list of the top ten best and worst feelings (in no particular order) from my college house!
The best college feelings.
- Being in a class with your friend, and you didn’t plan it.
This one is honestly such a fun one. I love finding out when I know people in my classes, and of course, if you’re in the same major, you will obviously see the same people, but it’s still a fun feeling! The content might be hard and dense, but it’s such a treat to walk into a cold, fluorescently lit, tiled, early morning class to see that one person you weren’t expecting. Now you can suffer together instead of shivering and suffering from information overload alone!
- Getting a compliment from a stranger.
Let’s be honest: for those of us who always compliment others, it feels like we don’t get complimented as often, right? But I will say, it makes it that much sweeter when you do get complimented. It feels more genuine, like making coffee at home for a whole week just to feel like you deserve that $7 latte on Friday from the local coffee shop (we all do it, no one’s judging).
- Having a good hair day.
OK, this one is strong. As a 2b hair type girly, having a good hair day is so hard to get. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Revlon and my curl products as much as everyone else, but my hair is never straight straight or fully curly. Even when it’s curly, it’s never uniform, and no matter how much curl cream and hover diffusing I do, it’s frizzy. Hearing someone say “your hair looks so good” is high praise and nothing can beat it.
- Someone telling you that you smell good.
I lied, maybe this one takes the cake. What do you mean you noticed that I showered, that my lotion is vanilla and honey-scented, my perfume and body spray coordinate but don’t overpower each other, and my laundry detergent smells divine!?! If you’re a stranger who tells me I smell good, congratulations. You’re now my maid of honor.
- Getting a good grade back after you worked hard for it.
There is nothing like the feeling of satisfaction, especially when it’s because of your own hard work. I have this habit of telling myself that I can’t celebrate a good grade or doing well because it’s less like an achievement, more like a congrats, you did what you were supposed to. But that doesn’t stop me from feeling a little giggly when I do well on something. Yes, I will pat myself on the back, thank you.
- The song everyone loves playing in the car.
Screaming the lyrics, hair-tossing any chance you get, grabbing hands from the backseat, and not even bothering to take a video because you know you won’t forget the feeling. Even if none of us can sing (all my roommates can sing and I can’t and I have to accept that), we’re all just living in the moment without even thinking about it.
- Coming home after a night out with a full phone battery.
I mean come on. Is there anything more gratifying than knowing that you were having such a good time that you didn’t use your phone? As someone new to the going-out scene, there’s a certain element of fear that I have — what if I don’t have a good time, what if my friends find other people, what if it’s too much? But I legitimately have had the absolute best time being out with everyone. There’s no fear of your phone dying because you know you’re having such a good time that you forgot about that little piece of technology in your purse.
- Your parents carrying you inside from the car when you’re asleep.
This one makes my heart melt. We know and love that feeling and remember it so strongly because being honest, how many of us were actually asleep? Feeling cared for and feeling loved like that is so precious and obviously in the top ten best feelings. And I feel like it translates well to college life and friends too. When you are being taken care of after a night out or when you’re sick, you really feel the family love just like childhood.
- Laughing so much that you forget why you even started laughing.
At this point, anything is funny. Anything could make us lose our composure at any moment and honestly, that’s pure bliss. There’s no rhyme or reason, no real words coming out of anyone’s mouths. Just laughter in various decibels and syllables.
- That one warm day in spring when absolutely everyone is out on the quad.
This is it. This is college. Seeing everyone acting like kids again, playing frisbee or laying together on a blanket, just living life and soaking up the vitamin D. Nobody really cares about what your major is, or who you dated, or what friend group you’re in. Everyone’s outside for the same reason. To feel alive and be with their people.
OK, so we covered the best ones, but what’s life without a little mess in it? Since we shouldn’t dwell on the bad stuff, these ones will be rapid fire. Here’s the top ten worst feelings!
The worst college feelings.
- Getting a parking ticket.
College parking sucks and we all know it. We try our best to follow the guidelines, but really? A ticket?
- Tripping in front of people.
Nothing takes the mystery out of a girl like tripping over absolutely nothing in front of the entire campus. I swear, there’s nothing on the ground.I just happened to trip over the particles of dust that magically appeared.
- Getting your period when you weren’t expecting it.
At this point we all should know when to expect it, but who am I to assume that our bodies follow our schedules? I can plan my cycle to a tee and I still get surprised by it every. Single. Time.
- Hair getting stuck on your lip gloss.
I physically recoil every time this happens. I just want glossy lips and bouncy hair. I don’t want to combine the two.
- Waving to your friend, and realizing they were waving to your mutual friend next to you, instead of you.
I hate feeling secondary. I waved to you and now I’m chopped liver.
- Your second to last bite of food tasting better than the last bite.
This one is specific, but it truly is a horrible feeling. And what am I supposed to do? Spit it out? No, thank you.
- Waking up 5 minutes before your alarm.
What do you mean I could’ve gotten five more minutes of sleep? Now the whole morning feels off, I can’t find my lip gloss, and I can feel the seams in my socks. Immediately no.
- Realizing you’re out of shampoo when you’re already soaking wet.
Now I’m just a wet mop for no reason.
- Someone getting your name wrong. Repeatedly.
It’s really not that hard if I’ve explained it to you numerous times. At this point you’re doing it on purpose.
- Forgetting to plug your phone in at night, and waking up to a drained battery.
Day = ruined. I feel like I’ve failed in the most basic, essential, technological part of my night.
To wrap it up, here’s a bonus good feeling. Never end on a bad note!
Putting on a new pair of jeans and they fit perfectly.