Summer is coming to an end and school is just around the corner. I'll admit, a part of me is looking forward to going back, and another part is dreading it. I've missed the readily available dining halls, the freedom to go out where and when you want, and being able to see my friends every single day. While there are many, many, many things that I do miss about Bridgewater State University over the Summer, there are quite a few that I, in fact, do not miss.
1. The trek across campus
While we don't have a particularly large campus, it does take a god fifteen minutes to get from one end of campus to the other, especially with all the foot traffic. And while a fifteen minute walk is hardly a hassle, it can be very daunting when you've woken up late for your 8am, or if the weather is extreme in any way. Thankfully, we have our own transit system, which many people are too proud to take, but they all wear down in the end.
2. The Essays
When it comes down to it, I really don't mind writing essays. My problem is just getting them started. However, I know it's going to be painfully hard to go from not writing a single essay for three months to having to bang out an average of three every week.
3. Cramped Dorm Space
It's difficult going from my house and bedroom to a dorm room. Dorms are small, cramped, and they have barely enough space to hold all of our things. The good thing is you have a ton of places you can go to if you need more space, so you only need to confine yourself here when you sleep, but if you find yourself spending a lot o time in your dorm, it can get very claustrophobic.
4. Blackboard
It's been nice not having to worry about checking grades and assignments every few hours. I haven't missed it or the unavoidable stress that comes with it. I hope I can remember my password.
5. Damage Billing
I'm not looking forward to the monthly reports of people vandalizing or failing to clean up their messes. It's honestly not that hard to pick up your cans or food boxes, and it saves the building almost $100 when you do. It's also completely unnecessary to flush miscellaneous food items down the toilet, drop ketchup down a staircase, and leave bottles of urine in the hallways. Seriously, who does that?
6. Cash or Flex
In general, a lot of people don't carry cash. It's much easier to just put all expenses on your credit or debit card. For college students, money tends to be scarce, so all the money we have is locked in our accounts, and if it isn't, we have to make the cash we have stretch for a long time. The only place on campus that actually accepts cards is the bookstore, so if you want to eat or get a coffee, you better make sure you have the cold hard cash or the money on your flex account.
7. The Unreliability of the App
On the whole, the app can be very useful it has everything we need concerning the school in one convenient spot on our phones. That being said, the accuracy and reliability of the app is lacking, especially when it comes to transit and the dining halls. Both of which are why I visit the app so frequently.
8. Weekends
Most of Bridgewater's student population commutes. Building on that, many of the residents could commute, living either minutes or a few hours away. Because of this, many people go home for the weekends, either to work or visit their families, leaving campus virtually dead. There will be a few events here and there, but the weekends remain to be largely a ghost town.
9. Paper Thin Walls
I don't understand how the hard, concrete walls of our dorm rooms are so paper thin when it comes to noise. Last semester I was subjected to many sleepless nights due to my neighbor's constant yelling and various other unwelcomed sounds.
10. 8 AM Classes
You wouldn't think that having an 8am class would be a big deal. All throughout high school you had to be in homeroom before then, so why would it be any different in college? It is. 8 AM classes are the bane of Bridgewater students' existence. The combination of late nights, exhausting work, and earlier mornings just doesn't come as easy as it did in high school. The students with 8am classes are pities and those with late classes or days without any classes at all are looked at in awe.
11. The Tilly Conveyor Belt
I love Tilly. The buffet style dining hall is unquestionably the favorite of many Bridgewater students. HOWEVER, the smell of the conveyor belt where the dirty dishes are put is the stuff of nightmares. The combination of food, dirty water, and sanitizer makes you want to hold your breath as you rush to get rid of your plates.
