So I’m writing this final blog entry from my mostly barren dorm room. The stuff’s off the walls, my books are in boxes, and my roommate has made pile of things in the middle of the floor which, although she hasn’t officially given it the title, I’ve begun to call The Pile Of Things That My Roommate Does Not Value Enough To Try To Pack, And Will Therefore Place In A Garbage Bag And Haul Down To The Dumpster. In fact, as I type this, she and my neighbor, a girl who has become one of my closest, most treasured friends, are discussing the prospect of removing the screen and just throwing all of the stuff out of the window. It will save us the effort of trying to carry it down the stairs.

The best bench on campus

Finals are over, and I’m now officially done with my first year of college. I’m so old. Not only have I completed one fourth of my college career, but I’ve also amazed myself, who would have thought that I could survive Mines? Well, it turns out that in addition to the things that I learned in the classes that I spent gobs of money on, I learned a few other things too. Maybe if you read my list, you won’t have to learn these things yourself. 

1. You really do make your best friends in college. If you try, that is. Never before have I been so surrounded be people who understand me. From the girl who lived next door to the boys who lived two floors below me, living in the dorms brought us very close together and has helped me build relationships that (hopefully!) will last forever.
2. Living with a roommate sucks for some people, but with the right attitude, it doesn’t have to. Roommate and I got along better than any other pair of roommates on our floor. Why? I think that we’d both agree that it’s because we’re laid back and willing to make things work. I’ve heard the horror stories from other girls, but I think that our success was a result of the fact that we could both poke fun at the fire hazard that was her side of the room, and that she was willing to work with the fact that I get up at 6:20 am, and I could deal with the fact that she goes to bed at 2:00 am.
3. Doing laundry in the dorms sucks. Seriously. Make friends that live off campus and are willing to let you use their stuff. This especially applies to you girls who don’t want to have to carry your stuff down to the basement with no elevator. It’s no fun, it costs way more than it should (you’ll start judging the cost of things that you buy by how many loads of laundry it could pay for, (eg: 1 bottle of pop, “But that’s 1 load of laundry!” or 1 chemistry textbook, “But that’s 214 loads of laundry!)), and the dryers don’t work.
4. Mines is really diverse, and I don’t just mean people from different cultures. If you’re afraid that you won’t fit in at Mines because you like painting your nails or because you don’t fully understand how to walk and shoot at the same time while playing video games, know this: we’re all nerds, but in different ways. Have no fear, there are plenty of girls here who own, and perhaps more importantly, know how to use, a can of hairspray. You’ll fit in. We’re home to people with a bunch of different religious views, political ideals, weekend hobbies, and past experiences. That said, if you want to learn how to shoot and walk at the same time while playing video games, there are plenty of people who would be happy to teach you.
5. Last, and probably most importantly, we’re not so hard. Sure getting As is a serious challenge, but that’s just the nature of college. Material wise, understanding this stuff isn’t too difficult, but if you are struggling, the professors are passionate about their subjects, and are eager to help. There are plenty of resources available. Don’t let Mines’ reputation keep you from giving this place a chance.

The best birthday present