6 Stages Of Doing Laundry At College

Not only do you have finals coming up, but you have an endless pile of clothes that has been staring you in face since you have returned from Thanksgiving break. Ah, yes, Thanksgiving break, where you had a practically inviting and all too convenient laundry facility. Now, you're back in dorm action and time has caught up with you. You can't find your favorite leggings, which means you can't be comfortable while study, and you couldn't find your favorite sweater (or maybe even underwear). You know what that means - it's time for your favorite college activity - laundry!

1. You put it off for as long as possible.

If not doing laundry means stuffing clothes in a basket until it's spilling over the very top, you've got that skill mastered. You tell yourself that you have plenty of clothes to choose from, and that you will do it tomorrow night, or Friday night, or Sunday night. Suddenly, tomorrow becomes yesterday, and your clothes are begging you to show them some TLC as they rot in the corner.

2. You think about when it is the right time.

Perhaps, the laundry machines in your dorm are hard to come by, and you only have two washers and two dryers. Or, you have a bunch of machines, yet you really want to avoid seeing a bunch of people while you do this necessary chore. This means that you literally have to either live life on a whim and take chances, or map out a complex equation in your head, trying to figure out when it is the opportune moment to wash your clothes.

3. You make the trip.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F04%2F636164147130132689-1479847852_giphy.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=402&h=18a709ff660c23eac2bbb8c860660d87ef83c50fe2a09871f3ea2c1802293d19&size=980x&c=811687443 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F04%252F636164147130132689-1479847852_giphy.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D402%26h%3D18a709ff660c23eac2bbb8c860660d87ef83c50fe2a09871f3ea2c1802293d19%26size%3D980x%26c%3D811687443%22%7D" expand=1]With your laundry bag, basket, or whatever you carry it in (maybe even a trash bag if it's been a rough week), you start your journey. If your load is really heavy (probably), you scuffle over to the elevator and take the silent ride to the basement. In the minute that it takes you to arrive at your destination, you have time to contemplate the meaning of life and all of your relationships as you lean your head against the elevator wall. You snap out of it as you arrive in the creepy laundry room and maybe even see a bug greeting you.

4. You put your clothes in the washer.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F04%2F636164147620882523-1028645119_MwMOfd.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=1003&h=25ac204beae07085c5b61c99b4ef4b557e6fbd00b2162bf5db93cf6fea5dd96b&size=980x&c=3793349531 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F04%252F636164147620882523-1028645119_MwMOfd.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D1003%26h%3D25ac204beae07085c5b61c99b4ef4b557e6fbd00b2162bf5db93cf6fea5dd96b%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3793349531%22%7D" expand=1]If you're a lazy one, you smell that freshly-scented Tide Pod (probably a spring scent or something). If you really care about your clothes, you gather all of your might and pick up the laundry detergent and make a giant mess by sloppily pouring it in the crappy container of the washer. This is where we separate the kids from the adults: either you had some fresh laundry beads or you slam the door shut and pray that you chose the right cycle.

5. You set the timer.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F04%2F63616414877967376098048033_635515973577829481-1431496293_michaelscott28.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=264&h=5f0eb32c9ec9be9532856d5032d93f574fedc3ee7d3080132baf41c1742a01c5&size=980x&c=2726249482 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F04%252F63616414877967376098048033_635515973577829481-1431496293_michaelscott28.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D264%26h%3D5f0eb32c9ec9be9532856d5032d93f574fedc3ee7d3080132baf41c1742a01c5%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2726249482%22%7D" expand=1]Suddenly, you are automatically on edge and your days are numbered. 34 minutes is not a long enough time to really accomplish anything, and by the time you get back to your room after another contemplative session in the elevator, you've lost ten minutes. Before you know it, you're rushing back down to the laundry room again, this time with a single dryer sheet to toss in with your clothes. After all, the laundry machines don't always smell like daisies - you have to put in the work.

6. You win or you lose.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F04%2F6361641491193000301942260793_9022367e5a49b81ada26c97af8eea1fe.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=232&h=2deb204b576e0d7688865dccc378131e1ae58a60e6ce006ab86ab1129b73a959&size=980x&c=309284363 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F04%252F6361641491193000301942260793_9022367e5a49b81ada26c97af8eea1fe.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D232%26h%3D2deb204b576e0d7688865dccc378131e1ae58a60e6ce006ab86ab1129b73a959%26size%3D980x%26c%3D309284363%22%7D" expand=1]A lot of things can happen when you revisit your clothes to put them in the dryer. Perhaps someone got there before you (oops, you set that timer a minute off), and now all of your clothes are spinning away in the dryer, even the ones that needed to be hung up! Or, your clothes are waiting for you in the washer, but all of the dryers are taken. At this point, you can either hang them all, or sit there and sulk with the wet garments (of course you choose the second option). Every so often though, you're a champion, and your laundry works out just the way that you wanted to - it only took 90 minutes of your already stressful day!