If you didn't watch this season of "The Bachelor," you really missed out. One of my favorite contestants was Joelle "Jo Jo" Fletcher. She is a 24-year-old real estate developer from Dallas, Texas. Even though she didn't win Ben Higgins' heart, she won America's. This won't be the last time we see Jo Jo, seeing as she is the next Bachelorette! Get excited because this sassy southern belle will have men all across the country fighting for her love.
Here are a few times that Jo Jo Fletcher perfectly summed up our freshman experience:
1. Saying goodbye to your mom.
No matter how many times you say goodbye, it never gets any easier. However, freshman year is the hardest. You've lived with this woman for 18 years of your life and then you have to leave her for months at a time. Don't worry though, she will still call and text you every day.
2. Finding a bug in your room.
No matter how nice your dorms are, the bugs will find their way in. With the risk of spiders and cockroaches, you are always double checking your wall, ceiling and bed for one of these creepy crawly creatures. Let's just hope they aren't there to wake you up in the morning.
3. When your room gets ransacked because of an open window.
No one warns you about the dangers of open windows in college. They either flip around so you have to take off the screen to fix it or they blow over everything in sight. The wind once knocked over one of my picture frames and it shattered on the carpet. Thank goodness for the cleaning ladies and their large vacuums.
4. Attempting intramural sports for the first time.
Colleges like to market intramural sports to kids who aren't as athletic but still want to play. I think they did this just for me. Anything flying at my face makes me duck in fear. Don't even get me started on running.
5. When you realize college is way harder than high school.
Gone are the days of studying for a test the night before or even hours before the test. Actually, you will try this multiple times your freshman year, and every time it will come back to bite you in the butt. If only they asked where Pennsylvania was instead of Indiana.
6. Rolling out of bed 5 minutes before class and looking like a mess.
Throw out all of your nice clothes because you probably won't wear them. You may wear them the first week of classes but once your homework load grows, the sweats come out. You may think you look scary, but once you leave your room, you realize everyone is wearing sweats too. Owning 15 pairs of leggings is completely normal ... sometimes.
7. When someone knocks on your door at 1:30 a.m.
At least once your freshman year someone will knock on your door in the middle of the night. When this happens only two things go through your head: (1) It's a murderer and I am going to die, or (2) It's the CAs ... what did I do? In my case it's usually just my friend across the hall who enjoys scaring me in the middle of the night.
8. Fire alarm drills in the middle of the night.
It's like the college is trying to make us have heart attacks or fall out of our beds. Waking up to a fire alarm is one of the worst things that will happen during your college experience. The first time the alarm went off in my dorm, I tripped coming down from my ladder and fell on my face. It doesn't help that I was also wearing a baggy t-shirt and no pants. Let's all hope your first fire alarm experience isn't as traumatizing as mine.
9. The food options on campus.
Finding food on campus can be quite the struggle. Some classes meet during dining hall hours, and even if they don't, you never know what food to expect. If you can't make it to the dining hall, there are restaurants on campus, but eating greasy food can get old. You will never turn down a home-cooked meal ever again.
10. Seeing a dog on campus.
When you are at college, you miss your friends and family, but most importantly, your pets. You begin to see animals everywhere you go. Walking around campus, I see at least 10 or more dogs a day. All you have to do is make eye contact with the dog and your day gets 10 times better. If you can't find a dog, there are squirrels everywhere, but I wouldn't suggest petting them.
11. Studying instead of going out on the weekend.
When your last class ends on Friday, you let out a sigh of relief. It is finally time for the weekend. But when you have a backpack full of homework and tests to study for, sometimes you have to stay in and study. Yes, it sucks. Yes, you will check Snapchat to see what everyone is doing. But when you finish your homework and ace those tests, you won't regret your decision. There's always next weekend!
12. Coming home for break.
When the time comes for you to go home for break, everyone is excited. You and your roommate, no matter how close you are, are excited to get away from each other for a few days. Your family will be twice as excited. Just don't tell them you came home solely for your dog and bed.
13. When you finally make eye contact with your crush.
You've been watching your crush from a distance for a while now when all of a sudden ... he looks at you. Hopefully he wasn't staring at the person behind you because he totally caught you smiling. Now is the time to make your move and make him your husband ... Too fast?
14. When you pass your first test.
Everyone tells you college is harder than high school, and they aren't lying. Studying for a class the week before a test is the way to go, but not all students follow this rule, me included. I wouldn't recommend staying up all night studying for every test, but it's all worth it when you get your test back with a passing grade. Time to celebrate with that well-deserved nap.
15. Trying not to gain the freshman 15.
Everyone's bodies react to college differently, but a big theme that is seen is the "Freshman 15." For most people it is inevitable. With all the greasy but delicious food to choose from, it is hard to eat healthy. However, once you get into the hang of college, you find time to visit the fitness center and work off those chicken tenders.
Even if your freshman year doesn't go according to plan, you can still look forward to Jo Jo being the next Bachelorette.
Tune in to ABC on Monday, May 23, to watch her in action. High fives all around.
