2008 Woodie Awards
Practicing proper personal hygiene challenges freshmen
Brenna McDermott
Issue date: 8/17/08 Section: Opinions
Once upon a time, my sheets were always clean, my dirty clothes never piled up and my bathroom never warranted a visit from the health inspector. There seemed to be this magical force that motivated me to take out my trash, iron my clothes and buy floss.
But it wasn't magic. It was Mommy.
Good old Mom. If you're like me, you've probably seen the magic Mom can do with the power of persuasion and fabric softener.
Once I lived in a residence hall, that force was flushed right down the drain. And it is about to be for you too.
Now there is no one to yell at you to cut your toenails, to do your laundry or to wash behind your ears. The freedom is a great feeling. Knowing that if you don't pick up your clothes no one will threaten to throw them out is a revelation. But at some point, you're going to need those clothes that have been lying on the floor for months.
So here's the thing: Now you have to kick your own butt to make sure you don't get disgusting. And it might not be as easy as Mom made it look.
With all this freedom college brings, there is no one looking out for you but you.
So just because someone isn't there telling you to shower, that doesn't mean you should have a contest with your roomies to see who can be the smelliest for the longest. Looking (or smelling) like a scrub doesn't impress the ladies or gents down the hall, or your professors. Making a good first impression is necessary, and it will never go away. It is your job alone to make sure you don't look like a bum to everyone you meet.
Cleanliness in general is something you have to take initiative with. Of course, you don't have to take any of my advice away with you. You can clean as much or as little as you like. You can leave your dirty dishes all over your room, and you can feel free to leave the headache of bathing for another month. Of course, your roommates might call you smelly and you probably won't have a single date, but that is, of course, a personal choice. Just stay away from me.
And that is the great thing about college. Your choices are all your own. Unless you are violating a health code, no one is going to throw you into a shower against your will. No one will tell you what to do. And that can be hard for all of us at times. We, as humans, all look for guidance, whether it be a higher power or a friend's advice. But in the end, we all deal with our issues on our own.
Your personal hygiene (or lack thereof) is completely up to you. How your future is shaped is your choice. Will you face the mirror and tell yourself when you are getting gross? Will you have the courage to face your problems and change them? When you realize you are out of deodorant and you can either go without or take 10 minutes to buy some from the grocery store, it could go either way for you. How will you handle it?
But it wasn't magic. It was Mommy.
Good old Mom. If you're like me, you've probably seen the magic Mom can do with the power of persuasion and fabric softener.
Once I lived in a residence hall, that force was flushed right down the drain. And it is about to be for you too.
Now there is no one to yell at you to cut your toenails, to do your laundry or to wash behind your ears. The freedom is a great feeling. Knowing that if you don't pick up your clothes no one will threaten to throw them out is a revelation. But at some point, you're going to need those clothes that have been lying on the floor for months.
So here's the thing: Now you have to kick your own butt to make sure you don't get disgusting. And it might not be as easy as Mom made it look.
With all this freedom college brings, there is no one looking out for you but you.
So just because someone isn't there telling you to shower, that doesn't mean you should have a contest with your roomies to see who can be the smelliest for the longest. Looking (or smelling) like a scrub doesn't impress the ladies or gents down the hall, or your professors. Making a good first impression is necessary, and it will never go away. It is your job alone to make sure you don't look like a bum to everyone you meet.
Cleanliness in general is something you have to take initiative with. Of course, you don't have to take any of my advice away with you. You can clean as much or as little as you like. You can leave your dirty dishes all over your room, and you can feel free to leave the headache of bathing for another month. Of course, your roommates might call you smelly and you probably won't have a single date, but that is, of course, a personal choice. Just stay away from me.
And that is the great thing about college. Your choices are all your own. Unless you are violating a health code, no one is going to throw you into a shower against your will. No one will tell you what to do. And that can be hard for all of us at times. We, as humans, all look for guidance, whether it be a higher power or a friend's advice. But in the end, we all deal with our issues on our own.
Your personal hygiene (or lack thereof) is completely up to you. How your future is shaped is your choice. Will you face the mirror and tell yourself when you are getting gross? Will you have the courage to face your problems and change them? When you realize you are out of deodorant and you can either go without or take 10 minutes to buy some from the grocery store, it could go either way for you. How will you handle it?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Jeremy Loscheider
posted 8/18/08 @ 9:00 AM CST
This is funny! "Smelly" described my sophmore-year suitemate to a T.
He rarely bathed, left his pile of Penthouse mags in the shared bathroom, as well as his dirty tupperware caked with dried ramen noodles. (Continued…)
TonyPatti
TonyPatti
posted 8/28/08 @ 2:01 PM CST
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are too many hippies here. Do we really need to be having this conversation? This is not interesting or news in my opinion. (Continued…)
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