Going off to college is a super exciting time in life — everything is about to change. You're getting more independence than you've probably ever had, and that's combined with the intense workload assigned in college courses.
You're probably caught up in wondering who your roommate is going to be, where you're going to stay and how you'll decorate your dorm. Those are great things to think about, but you need to prepare for the negative side of freshmen year life — the bathrooms.
Shared bathrooms are always a mess, but they're especially gross when you're sharing it with a couple of dorm rooms or potentially the entire hall. Guys have it bad enough but, if you're a lady, watch out.
Check out some of the dorm bathroom horrors that all freshmen should be aware of so that you know what you're walking into when you move to campus.
1. Vomit Left on Toilet Seats
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There's no avoiding vomit in a dorm. People are going to go out and party, especially during the first few weeks of school when the workload is lighter than the rest of the year. That means they'll come home in the early hours of the morning, lose their mess in the bathroom and not have the forethought to wipe the area down before they go to bed.
After the major party season ends, you'll have flu season to deal with. If one person is sick on the hall, everyone will probably get sick too. Bring extra cleaning supplies so that you can wipe off vomit from your toilet seat or even scrub it off if it's been dried overnight.
2. Forgotten Feminine Products
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It doesn't matter how long someone's had monthly visits by Aunt Flow before they get to college. Girls are going to leave their feminine products all over the place. Some dorm bathrooms don't have the tiny trash cans in stalls like in public restrooms, so it's easy to forget a used tampon or pad if you're in a rush.
Then there's the issue of some girls flushing their products down the toilet. Some people are told at a young age that it's okay, that it'll dissolve like toilet paper. This disposal method is never okay because they actually don't dissolve. It'll happen though, and sometimes toilets will get clogged. You can put in maintenance requests for the issue.
3. Overflowing and Broken Toilets
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Dorm toilets will convince you that you have the worst luck. They always seem to get clogged when you need them most, and then it feels like they never get fixed. If they're overflowing, it's even worse. Emergency maintenance on campus might not be as fast as you'd think.
Having to learn how to unclog or fix a broken toilet is one of the reasons why dorm bathrooms suck. You'll need to do some research so that you can use a plunger and even take some time to learn how a toilet works. That way, if it's constantly running, you can fix that too. You'll instantly be the most popular person on your hall if you can repair the toilet for people!
4. Graffiti Inside the Stalls
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In high school, bathroom graffiti is unavoidable. As soon as janitors scrub it away, more replaces it.
The same goes for college dorms, especially since there's a higher chance of students coming back from parties without the clear-minded judgment to not pencil their doodles on the bathroom walls. Despite the fact that bathroom stalls can be designed to be graffiti-resistant, putting your floor's cleaning staff to the test isn't a good idea.
There's some truth that college flies by, so you should cherish the memories you make, but if you or a friend feel the need to write them down, get a journal!
5. Pee Puddles Everywhere
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Not every girl is going to pee the same way, and that's just a fact of life. Some girls will use the toilet paper to line the seats, while others might prefer to squat. Basically, peeing in a bathroom with women other than yourself is going to inevitably lead you to encounter messes that you wouldn't make in your own home.
And it's not just the women's room, guys. Standing while drunk isn't always the easiest thing, let along trying to pee while teetering back and forth. (Let's face it, people will be drunk in your bathroom no matter what.)
My best advice: always wear shoes in the bathroom and avoid any puddles you see on the ground.
6. Hairballs in the Shower
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It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl — there will be hairballs in your shower or bathroom sink. Guys will shave their beards and let it clog the drains, and the same goes for girls shaving. People with longer hair will more frequently clog the drains too, since the long hair will get caught up more easily in the shower.
Be considerate of others and clean up your own hair, and hopefully you'll get the same courtesy from your dorm-mates.
However, if you find you're living in a dorm with a notorious hairballer, find a time to use the shower before they do. You'll get a feel for everyone's schedules after the first few weeks. Find a time when the bathroom is cleanest and try to shower then.
College is a great time for many people because it opens the doors to opportunities you might not have had before. It also introduces you to problems you'll have to deal with all your life, like learning how to function peacefully in a shared living space.
When it comes to dorm bathrooms, there's probably nothing that will be much more disgusting, but if you're prepared for what you're moving into, you'll know how to handle everything and be the favorite resident on your hall.
