Every college student goes through a rough patch. For most, it's catching senioritis right before graduation. Maybe it's when you first move away from and have to make new friends and start over. For me, it was being homeless. Yes, I was homeless college student. Lucky for me, my homeless stint was brief but, nonetheless, unpleasant.
How did I get here? Long story short, I'm a college student. I procrastinate, I make bad decisions and, especially because I'm a Chico State student, I never want college to end. So for the month leading up to the start of my last semester, I found all my belongings packed up into the back of my car. And it was awful. I brushed my teeth in my car, I ate out every meal and I abused Starbucks' free wi-fi privileges. I couldn't iron or wash my clothes, I drove around to kill time, and had to buy new deodorant every other day because it kept melting in my hot car.
I toured a slew of overpriced, sub-par shacks and checked Craigslist every day for new listings. I had my parents on my back and, worst of all, I had no place to call home. From an optimist's point of view, I didn't have to worry about paying bills for a month, and I learned who my real friends are. The friends who let you sleep in their bed, keep their spare key, and hog their hot water will make you realize how lucky you are to have them in your life, especially during your time of need.
While being homeless was definitely my low point in my college career, it was also my most valuable learning experience. College is supposed to be a time when it's okay to make mistakes, have fun and make questionable decisions. But learning from your mistakes is what matters the most.