Residence Laundry Room Etiquette 101

The moment I'm typing this I a waiting to do my laundry. Now the laundry room has more dryers than washers so when it comes to washing clothes and a number of the washers don't work this can be a problem, especially when someone (or a group of people doing their laundry at the same time) has a lot of laundry. Here are some things to consider on laundry day whether you live on campus and have to use the laundry room or maybe a laundromat:

• Sort your clothes out before doing your laundry
  This saves time so others after you can use the washers quicker.
  
• Lessen your laundry load
  Instead of having 6 or 7, make it 2 or 3, especially if your laundry room doesn't have a lot of washing machines. Also this will save you some money for the dryer if your clothes don't dry completely
• Don't take over the whole laundry room
  
  Other people have to do their laundry too so if you have like 6 or 7 loads of laundry and only 6 out of 9 washers are working, maybe just stick to 1 or 2 machines. It takes longer to do but at least other can get their laundry done. Also refer to bullet number 2.
  
• Do not remove someone's laundry from the washer or dryer
  This is one way your favourite shirt can get lost if someone else take out your laundry and places it on top of the washer or dryer just so they can get their laundry done. In relation of that . . .
  
• Remember that your are doing laundry
  Leaving your clothes in the washer or dryer and forgetting about it can result in clothes getting stolen. Also this takes up precious laundry time for those waiting to do their laundry.

And just to make sure the washers and dryers don't break too often:

• Do not overload the washers or dryers
  Washing machines can only handle a certain load capacity and doing so will at least damage the machine each load it is being used.
  
• Do not trick the coin machine
  I think most washer and dryer units are equipped with a card reader but for those that still have to use coins you may or may not heard of a tricking the machine. I believe this is done by using a condom and whatever coin(s) is required for the machines. Time it well and the machine will be tricked into thinking that it has accepted the coin but if timing is off the machine will break. I advise against doing this and I don't think the repair person would like seeing a condom in the machine.
  
• Put the proper liquids in the proper containers
  Not much of a break the machine issue but more of a 'your clothes won't turn out nice' issue. Front loading washers require liquid detergent and some people use powder in them (if it says liquid detergent only, do not use powder)

Just something to put in mind. Also if you plan on using the same washer or dryer after one load, leave something a like a bottle of detergent. One of my earlier habits during times of limited laundry machines I'd put in my next laundry load after my previous one but I did not notice that someone had staked their claim on the washing machine I was using and this person was pissed. Or you can be courteous and wait for another free washer or dryer and let someone else use the unit after you.

30 Day Challenge: Day 6

Day 6 - If you live in the dorms, tell us about your roommates/floormates


As of this posting, I live with 3 other girls. Two of them are first year students and the third one I have been with for three years now (as mentioned here). I don't know much about my two new roommates as I haven't interacted with them much but so far all I know is they both come from outside of Newfoundland and Labrador (one even comes from my home province but situated further south). The one not coming from the same province as me studies music. Once I see them more often and get a chance to talk I'll learn more about them.

The roommate whom I have been with the longest is a history major. She like sci-fi programs as well as collecting comic books. Most of last year (and a bit of early 2011) we went grocery shopping together because the city transit system went on strike so going together helped split the taxi fare. Even when the strike ended we had a couple trips together to the grocery store.

not sure what else I can say here.

30 Day Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 - If you live away from home, share your moving day experience. If you commute, do you feel like you are missing out on a true college experience?


I live away from home and I live on campus. Even after 5 years you'd think I'd find a place off campus. That requires me having some sort of income since the rent for some places around St. John's average about $400/month.


Anyways I have mentioned that I was ill when I first moved into residence so my moving day experience wasn't the greatest. Also it was very confusing at first since as soon as I arrived I had to go sign in and pick up my i.d. card. The line was long but as soon as I was close to the front one of the workers there said "anyone who has sent in their photo can move up to the front" (more or less along the lines of that). If I'd paid any attention to that earlier I could've moved through things faster and not have to suffer from the weight of my laptop. Besides that all first years during my year at my house had to have their picture taken for some odd reason. Being sick = not really in the mood for doing anything.


Moving day experiences were different each year. My second year I returned to the dorm housing but the thing is my plane arrived late due to the weather so the housing office was closed and I couldn't pick up my keys. Luckily a lot of people were moving in and out and my room was unlocked but I was pretty much trapped there for the rest of the night until the housing office opened (they work union 9-5 hours during the opening of residences yet around the last 3 days of exam period they have 24 hour service for key returns).


Third year I switched to the apartment style residences. The building doesn't loop so it took me a while to find the apartment and by fourth year everything went smoothly.

Advice for the young grasshopper starting university -- Dorm Life

Introduction and Roommates
Connecting with others
Campus life and textbooks 

Every University should have on-campus student residences. Some may choose to live off-campus or have someone they know living in the city providing a room for them, others, like me, chose to live in the student residences. The university I attend has two different types of student residences: dormitory and apartment. I'll mention those when I go through some things. Some student residences have single gendered housing while some are co-ed but all usually participate in the same activities.

Each student residence has proctors and resident assistants (R.A.'s). Proctors are like the landlord/landlady of the residence. The only time I've ever seen the proctor for proctor related business was for room arrangements (whether I was getting a new roommate or have to change rooms or whether I was returning to the residence next year) or if I was having some problems with a roommate or people on the floor. R.A. are just like their title says, they're there to assist you. Both share the same roles in a way. Houses have certain hours when you can blast your stereo and make sorts of loud noises but once quiet hours settle in they are wandering the halls warning you or slapping a fine that you have to pay. Other than providing a sense of security they sometimes organize various activities.

Each residence has an academic don (A.D.) or some sort of advisor that deals with academic stuff. Say you're failing your courses or need to know something like dropping out of a course the A.D. is one to turn to when the campus offices are closed. The A.D. also organizes some various activities as well.

The various activities organized can range from trips to a museum, bowling, bingo and trivia, pub crawls, scavenger hunts, some sort of party to some sort of movie night. Not all of the activities mentioned are organized by the house staff but also other people living in the house too. This is one way you can meet the others in your house as well at the same time score some free food.

• If you are planning to return to the same residence next year participate in some of these activities

Some residences not only require that you have a certain grade point average (GPA) to remain but also how much you are involved in school/residence life. Usually the dry events, the ones that don't include alcohol, count towards your involvement.

Another thing to add to that involvement is intramural sports. The sports I have encountered are soccer, basketball, t-ball/baseball, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbees, badminton, water polo, hockey, road race/some running activity and bowling. Depending on how many people sign up your house might have either a single gendered team or a co-ed team.

• You don't have to be good at any of these sports in order to participate

I am not very athletic and I wasn't into sports when I was a kid but if you do sign up for, let's say soccer, but aren't very good at it or haven't played before you will be placed in a team of people with the same experience. Eventually you will have to play against the more experienced teams but whether or not you win the games at least you will be scoring points for your house. If you can't play due to injury or not really interested in playing sports you can show up for support and that may count towards participation points. Want to join in on the action but not sure if it fits into your schedule? You can be a back-up team player so if someone decides to go home on the weekend his or her team is playing a game you know what to do, or someone can find you.

Now that you're all sweaty from playing a game it's time to hit the showers. Living in the apartment style residence it's usually one bathroom per 2-4 people living there while in the dorms if the one on your floor is full or broken you can go to another floor. Some may have the stalls, some may have the one attached to a bathtub, and some may have both. Whether you use the stalls or the bathtub:

• Wear some foot protection
• Don't leave anything behind

Who knows when was the last time the floors have been cleaned and sometimes you might encounter sharp objects, people might have spat in there, gum, and probably some gross unmentionables.

The last thing I'll mention is initiation. Usually this is planned by the senior students as they have (unless someone went home for the weekend) gone through it. I'm not going to say what exactly happens but it can involve some silly crazy things, but nothing too defiling but if it something that makes you feel uncomfortable or for some medical reason can't do whatever activity it is they'll probably won't let you do it or find some sort of alternative. At the end you get a "Congratulations! You are now a member of <insert house name here>"

That's all for now. Next up: clubs, societies and meeting people.