By: Alexandra Jones
It almost seems like yesterday that my parents and I drove up to campus in a flurry of blue plastic bags and cardboard boxes and worked tirelessly to make my housing atmosphere as comfortable as possible. Glancing at my room for the very first time, I found it impossible to imagine how this space would be my home for the next nine months. Yet at this point in the semester, I’ve settled in and established a daily routine within my third-floor Ehringhaus suite that feels like second nature.
I thrive off of structure and consistency, so my first priority when I got to campus was to explore and find my go-to spots. But before I left my dorm room, I made sure to organize my most indispensable items within arms’ reach. Fast forward a few weeks of classes, and I am confident that I have found my groove thanks to my initial key items, as well as some new and improved favorites. In this post, I will be taking you through a Monday “day in my life” living on-campus and share some essential items both in and outside my room in Ehringhaus that I use to maximize my first-year experience at UNC.
Once my alarm goes off at 5:30AM, I roll over and grab my headphones off of my nightstand. I have always loved listening to music and podcasts, and find that this habit helps to wake me up in the morning and get myself out of my warm and cozy twin XL. I leave our suite at about 6AM to go to a workout class at the SRC, and make sure to bring my headphones and a water bottle with me. It is imperative that I stay hydrated through the day, especially with miles of walking around campus ahead of me.
I trek back to Ehringhaus from my workout class, and arrive back at my suite door at around 8AM, and head to the bathroom with my shower caddy. I find that having a place of storage for all my hygiene items helps me to consolidate my belongings much better when entering a shared space, as well as to ensure that I am organized and do not forget anything on the way to the bathroom.
I always love to start my day with a warm beverage, either tea or coffee. On this day, I used my Keurig coffee maker to craft the beverage that will kick off my day right. As it brews, the smell of coffee fills the room and I am filled with a sense of home and belonging. Other days, I fire up my kettle and pick a flavor out of my selection of tea bags. Having a kettle has been very helpful to ward off and even simply cope with the inevitable freshman year sickness. If you have found yourself ill this year, you are not alone.
Quick reminder to all first-years to make sure to spend time prioritizing your physical health if you find yourself under the weather, even in this time of year when you may be slammed with a plethora of exams, projects, and looming deadlines.
Once I finish brewing my coffee and customizing it to my liking, I sit down in my desk chair and unfold my makeup mirror from its home at the back of my desk. Having my own personal mirror to do my skincare and makeup with has been an absolute game changer. I don’t have to worry about hogging bathroom space or standing on my tip-toes to try and see myself in the funky mirror above our set of drawers. It provides great lighting as well so that I can clearly do my makeup without turning on the overhead light and waking up my roommate.
Before leaving for class, I make sure I am fueled throughout the day and grab a quick granola bar from my makeshift “snack drawer”. Having stackable containers/storage in my dorm has been a life saver, helping to consolidate my important food items so they do not take up too much limited space. Saving space is crucial when living in a residence hall, so prioritize buying items that will help to conserve counter, shelf, and desk space.
At around 9AM, I head off to meet my roommate at Chase Dining Hall for a full breakfast before a long day of classes. I make sure to pack a snack, a water bottle, my headphones, and of course my laptop in my backpack to keep myself organized and prepared for the day.
I hope this post helped to spark some ideas for ways to improve life living in first year housing and provided a glimpse into the life of a first-year student adjusting to life at Carolina!