Over winter break, I decided to binge-watch ABC's "Scandal" on Netflix. I finished 5.5 seasons in a little under a month (a new personal record). I fell in love with every aspect of the show and decided I want to be best friends with every character; I mean, who wouldn't want Olivia Pope as their best friend?
Even though it was winter break, I kept looking back at my first semester of college; I tried to apply the struggles on the show, (which in no way shape or form relate to mine) to my daily life. Though the lives of college students aren't as scandalous or exciting as a president's affair or a super-secret underground spy agency, Scandal's White House employees and Olivia Pope and Associates can surprisingly describe our inner thoughts.
1. Motivating yourself to actually get out of bed and go to class:
A cozy warm bed will always be better than a classroom filled with peers. But, hey, as much as you don't want to get up and do anything, you're paying thousands of dollars for your courses; be a gladiator.
2. When you've been in class for over a week and someone takes your unassigned seat:
I claimed this seat on the first day of class, you claimed your seat on the first day of class. It's a rule every college kid knows. Well, maybe not all of them.
3. "Alright, if you look at the syllabus, you'll see your first test date..."
You knew this was coming at some point, it's inevitable, yet still, absolutely terrifying. So, breathe. Study a lot. Maybe cry a lot. Take some breaks. Repeat. You'll get through it, you have before.
4. When you look at your planner and half of your projects, tests and essays are all due the same day (which is typically a Friday or a Monday):
I swear, there has to be a syllabus writing party where teachers from every course possible schedule their assignments to be due at the exact same time. Or it's coincidental, but the syllabus writing party idea is pretty hilarious.
5. When you stay up ridiculously late doing homework and you hit that "everything is hilarious, I hate my life" stage:
You've been reading, writing or studying for hours. It's exhausting and never-ending. At some point, you read a line of your book or write out a sentence and a simple word, such as dog, is insanely hilarious. And you have absolutely no idea why.
6. When your teacher assigns homework during syllabus week:
I haven't even memorized what time I'm supposed to be at this class yet...
7. When you look at your bank account & see how much money you actually have:
You never realize how quickly food adds up until you get to college. Because let's face it, your last five purchases were probably all from a grocery store or a fast-food restaurant.
8. When your professor gives you an assignment but doesn't specify anything:
It's all "in the syllabus," until it's not. I can't risk losing any points here, so please don't mind all of my questions.
9. When you scroll through your Netflix list:
From sitcoms, to Netflix originals and a variety of movie genres, you can find something to watch in any situation.
10. When someone asks you if you want to go get food:
The answer will always be yes. I might have just eaten an entire meal 20 minutes ago, but yes, I will go get food with you.
11. When you start to question everything in your life:
At some point, you're laying on the floor in your dorm room at 3:00 a.m. questioning the mere existence of being. Why am I at college? I am supposed to be in this major? Why am I at this school? What's my purpose in life?
And at some point, it hits you. Reality sinks in and you realize that you're laying on the floor of a dorm room at 3:00 a.m. on a Tuesday and the only thing you can do is laugh at yourself and go to sleep.
12. When your professor tells you they're going to put the notes online:
An immensely rare occasion, but a fantastic one, especially when 90 percent of the PowerPoint slide is a diagram of a brain or something that will probably resemble a three-year-old's masterpiece if you try to replicate it.
13. When you realize it's finally Friday:
Time to celebrate! After all of the nearly sleepless nights and piles of homework, you can finally sleep, breathe a little bit and relax.
...Until it starts all over again next week.
