Here’s something you probably already know…high school students aren’t exactly happy with their education. At least that’s what Jezebel is telling us. Apparently high school students feel like their education is not preparing them enough for college.

And frankly, I don’t blame them. Not just because I think there should be more emphasis on math and science or something like that, but because I genuinely feel that high school doesn’t do enough to prepare students for college inside and outside of the classroom. Networking? Time management? These things matter too, a lot more than AP scores or SATs.

1. Survival Skills. I’m not trying to take us back to the days of home economics, believe me. But I think there is something to be said for high schools offering their students the means to learn some basic survival skills. A few quick and easy snacks for late night studying. Some meals that can be made in the dorm room. A few basic rules for laundry room virgins. These are things college students need to know, but I’d be really surprised if any high school offered courses in them.

2. Networking Skills. Colleges put a lot of emphasis on these skills because they’re a great asset when trying to find a job, but they’re also a great asset when applying to college. Think college interviews. Meetings with advisors. Getting to know faculty parties. All those events that colleges throw with alumni and business partners who they’ve already hired from? All the people these students meet? Wouldn’t a few tips offered up in high school go a long way?

3. Computer Skills. College is about presentations and research papers, Excel spread sheets and charts and graphs. And while some colleges require students take basic computer classes, they wouldn’t need to if high school classes taught more than basic typing. I understand that resources are limited and not all schools have access to enough computers for students to learn these skills but those that do should take full advantage of them.

4. Writing Skills. Whether you’re a science major or an English major you will be spending a large chunk of your time in college writing. But more college students than we realize enter freshman year without even understanding how to cite sources properly. Research skills, writing skills, the ability to analyze an argument. These are the types of skills high school seniors should be learning in English classes. Not how to best beat that AP Lit. test.

5. Time Management. Every high school senior should be heading off to college to take this one because let’s face it, just about every high school senior needs it. In high school we didn’t really need time management skills. We went to school, did our thing, went home, did the homework we couldn’t avoid and repeated the process. Now things are just a little bit different. There’s all this free time and it seems like we should be able to get things done but five hours on Facebook go by fast. Teaching students how to organize their life, schedule their classes, and make time for school and a social life would probably be the greatest skill high school teachers could give soon to be college freshman.

Your turn. What do you wish your students had taught you about preparing for college?  

So in case you think you’re the only one with confused parents (why don’t you just pick up the phone and call her! Why do you always have to text everyone!?), this list will help you to see that you’re not the only constantly having to justify to your parents that slapping a bag of boxed wine is a fine way to spend a Saturday night.

1. We drink like champions

Let me just start by saying, parents will NEVER UNDERSTAND why college kids drink so much. I think we can all say that it’s a fun thing to do, a great way to meet people, and an easy way to break the ice with the cute guy across the room. Yet parents will always wonder if a kegstand is actually safe and why taping cheap beer to your hands is fun. Just accept the fact that no matter how many times you try to explain the rules of Beer Pong, parents will think that package of ping pong balls in your room is because you and your friends reaaally got into ping pong this past summer.

2. Hungry? Let’s Order Pizza!

If you didn’t make it to the dining hall before it closed or ran out of pasta to make at your apartment, pizza is usually the first thing to come to mind. Parents don’t understand that it completely normal to order pizza seven nights a week without even peeking inside the fridge. Healthy eating doesn’t really exist in college. Sure we go to the gym and sure we sometimes make sure to order chicken AND BROCCOLI from the Chinese place, but we rarely pull out the food pyramid and consult it.

3. Dating? What’s that?

Our parents grew up in an era when men held the door open for women and automatically picked up the check at a restaurant. In this day and age, they are shocked to find out that you met a hot guy at a party a few weekends ago, but have only texted back and forth a few times. The extent of a date is a swipe into the dining hall — and if you are really getting crazy maybe a movie back at the dorm while your roommate is blasting music/studying/bbming. Personally, I’m good with the random make out sessions on the weekends; the dating can wait until after college when guys are more interested in dating than how many beers they can chug in 2 minutes.

4. Hey dad? So I kind of need some money…

As we all know, everything costs money and sometimes parents don’t understand what we’re doing with that $500 they put in the bank account at the beginning of the semester. Let’s face it, college is expensive and if you ARE ordering that pizza all the time you probably will need a constant influx of money from your parents. Yet, in case your parents are stubborn, I usually just tell them I’ll pay them back in full when I become rich and famous. Gets them every time!

5. School > Home

When college kids go home for breaks or vacations, parents are usually the ones that are more excited than the students. Coming home means having an actual curfew. And worse than the curfew, it means actually sleeping alone, like no inviting your former high school flame to spend the night. They’ll never understand why you’re so excited to go back to school, nor will they ever get why we sit on the couch for our entire break watching horrible TV,  with our laptops on our lap, videochatting with all our college friends.

What about you? What are you constantly trying to explain to the parental units?

No scratch that, I hate it, actually. But what I do like is what that week represents. It’s the beginning of the end. The start of the finish. You’re over the hump. The semester is almost over. You’ve finally reached those last few dreadful weeks. And okay, maybe that doesn’t seem like something to be happy about, maybe you want to pull your hair out right now? Maybe you’re stressed? Sure, but just think, in a couple of weeks it will all be over.

How can you be sure that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? Here are just a few signs that the semester is almost over.

10. You’ll do anything to avoid your homework. Okay. Time to get serious. You have a lot to get done these less few weeks. Time to buckle down and start working. No distractions. No Facebook. No phones. Reading time. But wait…you have been meaning to reorganize your desk. And your bookshelf. And…you get the idea.

9. You’re staying in instead of going out. Thirsty Thursday? Try thesis Thursday. You have so many papers due, so many pages of reading to get through, so much to get done in such a short amount of time you can’t even think about going out. Well, okay you think about it (and even plan your outfit) but then you don’t go. And you reward yourself for being such a studious student by taking a five minute break to Facebook-stalk. The next thing you know, four hours have gone by and your roommate is stumbling in, ready to tell you all about her great night. The one you missed.  And you still didn’t do you reading. Oops.

8. You can no longer find a seat in the library. It’s not like you’re hanging out in the library all that often, but every once in a while when you need to take a nap write  a paper, you head on over, and you expect there to be seating. But towards the end of the semester? You can’t even find a floor spot in the corner near a plug.

7. Each and every one of those people fit into one of these categories. Go read them. No explanation needed.

6. Facebook statuses start appearing in countdown code. You know, those Facebook statuses that start popping up about a week before the semester ends, listing everything the person needs to get done between now and then. Sort of like, five finals, four papers, three days, two meetings, and one nap until winter break. Not that I’ve ever participated in such a thing. Not at all.

5. You’ve decided it no longer makes sense to do laundry. There’s only a few weeks left of the semester, and your Mom helped you out so much when you were home for Thanksgiving. You’ve got enough undies to get you by. If you just hold off until then, you won’t have to scrounge for change or waste precious moments waiting for your clothes to dry. Mom will be happy to help. And you can make it. Sort of….

Did you just sniff your shirt?

4. You have to use your credit card for your coffee. I don’t live on campus so I don’t have a meal plan. But I do have did have flexicash (you know, like a giftcard for the student coffee shop). It provides me with infinite amounts of caffeine and chocolate chip muffins whenever I need them. Except now. Because I ran out. Just when I need my coffee the most, DAMNIT!!! The other day, I charged change. Yes, change. 89 cents to be exact. For a banana. It’s time for winter break.

3. You’re no longer speaking to your roommate. You two are actually quite close, really. But it’s that kind of close that only works for small periods of time. Not months and months in cramped quarters. And not during such a trying time in your life. Sure, her jokes are cute and funny in October, but now? Now the only thing that makes you laugh is the thought of beating her with a pillow while she sleeps.

2. Professors can’t even be bothered to show up to class. In the past month, my professor has canceled my Senior Seminar more times than I can count. You know it’s bad when a senior’s response to a canceled class is “Again?” followed by a disgruntled groan. I firmly believe that if your professor can’t be even be bothered to make it to class then it’s just time to call it a semester already. We won’t mind, really.

1. You can’t even remember the last time you read for class. I don’t know about you ladies, but once the last few weeks of the semester approach (or basically as soon as I come back from Thanksgiving) I just can’t seem to find it in me to read for class anymore. I mean, the semester is practically over, isn’t it? And you have so many papers to finish up, and final assignments to turn in that those books you won’t need to know anything about (because that class doesn’t have a final) seem less and less important.

Ew. Is it over yet?!

[Check out Jenn's other musings-in-the-form-of-a-list here.]

Caneiro’s concern regarding this ailment is understandable – we don’t need an entire generation of hunchbacks, after all – but in the grand scheme of things, Laptop-itis is the least of our problems. Really, there are plenty of larger issues we college students should be worrying about. Like Athlete’s Foot from the showers. Or Mono from all those frat party makeouts.

Or any of these:

Laundr-phobia:  Often striking halfway through the semester, students present with an unhealthy, all-consuming fear of the laundry room (usually stemming from an uncertainty of how to use the machines).  Symptoms include a lack of underwear, crusty stains and a less than desirable smell of mildew permeating from their overflowing hamper.  In extreme cases, Laundr-phobia’s effects can be disastrous (and foul), often leading to ridicule and friend loss.  While there is no known cure, temporary reprieve is available during long weekends at home with mom.

Caffeinitis:  This illness is brought upon by any of the following triggers: coffee, Red Bull, Five Hour Energy shots, or some dangerous combination of the three.  Symptoms include: shaking hands, a quickened pulse, fast and frequent trips to the bathroom and an inability to sit still for more than 3 seconds. In very, very extreme cases, students become immune to the effects of the aforementioned beverages and begin to abuse Adderall  – IF YOU REACH THIS POINT, SEEK WARM MILK AND A BED IMMEDIATELY.

Pump Foot: Often the result of dancing for hours on end in sky-high stilettos, this disorder generally manifests itself on Sunday mornings.  Characterized by large and painful blisters, cramped toes, and painful arches/calves.  Research on this disorder is limited, but it is understood that certain libations trick victims into thinking that they are immune and actually cause more damage. At present there is no known cure, but preventative care is available in the form of cute and comfy flats.

‘That Girl’ Syndrome:  The most unpleasant of all the diseases.  This disease often (though not always) strikes when a female is at her most vulnerable. Generally speaking, this is after the dissolution of a relationship.  While symptoms are different for everyone, the most common include: dancing on a bar, crying in the bathroom, gratuitous public displays of affection, falling down stairs, and generally causing a scene.  The most harmful effects of this particular ailment hit the following morning and often include mockery, embarrassment, and a dangerously long log of outgoing calls between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m.  The victim typically complains of two hangovers – one characterized by physical pain, the other by an overwhelming sense of shame. Recovery time ranges from one day to one month depending on the case.

‘That Guy’ Syndrome:  Not to be confused with the female version, ‘That Guy’ syndrome seems to harm those around the victim more than the carrier himself.  While suffering, patients will generally spill beer on their peers, crush beer cans on their heads, challenge anyone with a pulse to a Shotgunning contest, and puff up their chest at any innocent passerby who might “look at me the wrong way.”

I-Wait-Until-The-Last-Possible-Second-To-Write-That-Ten-Page-Paper-Because-I’m-Looking-Through-Everyone’s-Study-Abroad-Pictures Disease: While mild on its own, if not treated properly (experts recommend disconnecting from the Internet) it can lead to severe cases of Caffeinitis and Oh-sh*t-I-have-to-retake-that-class syndrome.

Yes, it’s time to be ready for the school year. It’s time to start packing and gaining ultimate pre-college essentials to give you a chance for an easy ride through the first semester.  Alright CollegeCandy chickas, nurse those excited pangs of pain desire in your liver – we (with a little help from our college blogging friends) are going to get you ready for school!

* Before you even pack up the car, make sure that you don’t forget those necessary items that everyone always forgets to pack.

* Ok, I’m going to be the one to put it out there – I wasn’t much of a ‘laundry-pro’ going into college. I’m not kidding, can I say on here that I Googled ‘how to separate colors’ before doing my very first load? Yeah, embarrassing. Allow me to protect your Google history: here are some things you can think about in regards to doin’ the dirty laundry pile.

* Before I went off to college, shoved in between a thick pile of clothes and a dresser in my dad’s truck, I would have paid a fortune to have a 100+ list full of things to know in regards to college. Here’s the dream realized, free of charge.

* Come finals week, this list will be pasted to your forehead.

* Ok enough of this ‘super prepared for college talk.’ It’s time to talk ‘college drinking.’ Looking for some fabulous future drink mixers? Chasers? Or simply a healthy drink to accompany your future study sesh? Turn to these tasties.

* And to be able to afford all these tasties, check out the 45 weirdest scholarships that you can get.

* Since it’s almost time to start getting ready for classes, why not get in gear early?

* Craving a stress-free moving day more than a Lindsay Lohan US Weekly cover story? I thought so. Say it out loud, “stress free move in day, here I come!”

* I bet while college creeps closer and closer to your North Face backpack, your stress level begins to increase.  Margarita nights with your girlfriends will soon be replaced with lots of stressed out evenings thinking about what classes you need to start taking. Well, stress be gone.

* While you will be saying farewell to your very own bathroom at home, a cupboard dedicated to your favorite types of cereals (guilty), and lots of baggage, you will be saying ‘Hello’ to lots of ramen and never a moment to yourself. Take some of these college dorm tips with a grain of salt entire margarita on the rocks.

* Set up your very own Fashion First Aid kit for your dorm room.

* Oh and while you’re at it – set up a Walk of Shame Kit before you go, too.

Are you a college blog who wants to be included on this list? E-Mail us at editor@collegecandy.com with your back to school link.

I, on the other hand, find myself lacking in every aspect of domestic maturity. I dread doing laundry, I get extra excited on the rare occasion that my pasta comes off the stovetop instead of out of the microwave, and I gotta be honest, kids kind of piss me off.

For a long time, I’ve embraced this about myself. I was convinced I could just get by on take-out and who really needs children anyway? But as I approach my senior year of college, it’s beginning to hit me just how close I am to living life in the real world. In a very short while, it’ll be frowned upon to live like I do – laundry piling up, cabinets stocked with Easy Mac, dishes (read: shot glasses) sitting in the sink.

If this is truly some sort of natural instinct in women, when will it kick in for me? And why hasn’t it already?

After a lot of thought, I think I know what’s holding me back. It’s not that I just suck at these household duties – I am so afraid of what it actually means to perform them: growing up.

I love college and I love my adolescence; I’m not quite sure if I’ll be ready for the cold dose of reality that awaits me in just a few years. Don’t get me wrong, I’m capable of surviving on my own; I’ve done it for three years now. What worries me is whether or not I’ll be able to actually accept the idea of being an adult without the safety net of college to fall back on.

Some of my friends have got it all figured out, and I wonder if I’m behind in a sort of race to the finish. Maybe it’s just a matter of time until my biological clock starts ticking and everything falls into place. But I know the first step is to come to terms with the fact that, ready or not, it’s time to grow up… and use a stove.

Like many of you recent grads or soon to be college grads, I do not have a job lined up. In this economy jobs aren’t as flourishing as Lindsay Lohan’s alcohol problem and therefore neither is a recent grad’s income. A lack of income can present a problem when your funds have to be spent on rent and insurance rather than Natty Light and late night fast food. I am included in this fund-deficient category. Sure, I have some cashmonay saved up… but not enough to sustain three months worth of rent in New York City.

So after some debate and inner turmoil, I have decided to move back in with my parents. This is a desperate act and the last option I wanted to choose, but with no job and no income, it wasn’t a choice at all. So back to Mom and Dad’s I go.

It’s going to be a major transition, yes, and probably not the most exciting prospect after having total freedom for 4 years, but maybe it’s not the worst thing, either. I mean, at least you know the bathroom floors are clean, right?

Food & Meals
On your own: In college, cooking for yourself or going to the dining hall doesn’t always mean well-balanced meals. I’ve survived mostly off Easy Mac. I’m ready for a change.
Back home: Home-cooked meals. YUM. So maybe your parents won’t become your live-in chefs but you’ll still probably get more nutritious meals (or nutrition at all!) than you have in a while.

Boys
On your own: They can come and go as they please. You can have as much sexy time as you want in your bedroom… in the kitchen…in the living room.
Back home: Flashback to high school when you had to sneak boys into and out of your room. You may be an adult, but you’re still living under 2 other adult’s roof. Two adults who may or may not walk in on you.

Laundry
On your own: Laundromats are a pain. Mixing up your clothes with the person next to you sucks. And also, who carries endless amounts of quarters with them anyways?
Back home: “Mom, I love you. Can you do my laundry please?”

TV & Internet
On your own: TV and Internet don’t come cheap! All those utilities (electricity, water, etc) are pricey, actually. Just think about how much you spend to indulge in MTV marathons while blasting the A/C.
Back home: Besides navigating through your mom’s Tivoed reruns of Cheers, you basically have it made. Free TV (with ALL the premium channels!) and Internet? Yes please.

Parties
On your own: Just passed an exam? Throw a party. Just finished classes? Throw a party. Just want to get hammered on a Wednesday? THROW A RAGER.
Back Home: I doubt Mom and Dad want to see you doing a keg stand in their kitchen. And heading out to party elsewhere? Good luck explaining to your parents what you were doing until 3am on a Tuesday.

Peace & Quiet
On your own: You have all the peace and quiet (and laziness) that you want. You can suffer through your hangovers to endless episodes of 16 and Pregnant without being bothered, sleep until noon because there’s nothing else to do, and worry about all those dishes piling up later. Or never. It doesn’t matter anyway.
Back Home: You may not have to deal with your neighbors playing Rock Band at all hours of the night, but you do have to deal with your parents’ endless monologues about the importance of getting a job and moving out.

Clearly, moving in the the parental units isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but for all of us unemployed soon-t0-be-grads, it’s our only option. And it’s not such a bad one. Who needs boys and parties when you’ve got free cable and a fully stocked fridge??

Library to yourself? Score.

Endless exams and papers, constant guy drama, grad school applications, a dwindling bank account…the day-to-day worries of our college years often weigh us down.  But too often, we stress about the big issues and totally forget about the little things that make our daily routines bearable…or even great!

1. A Cancelled Class
Your alarm goes off bright and early at 8 a.m. and you can barely open your eyes.  You angrily hit the snooze button, roll over in bed and start thinking about what to wear.  Then your mind runs through all the things you have to do today: 3 classes, gym, library, chapter meeting…ugh. You’d rather stay in bed. Then – BUZZ! – your phone vibrates and you wonder who the hell needs to talk to you this early. Lo and behold, it’s your study buddy letting you know that (gasp) CLASS IS CANCELLED! Your professor is sick/at a family function/whatever, and you can barely read the whole text before you reset your alarm, pull the covers back over your head and sleep for a few more (glorious!) hours.

2. Free Stuff!
Let’s face it, in this economy getting anything for free in college is right up there with Christmas and 21st birthdays. Free short stack day at IHOP, free condoms at Student Health, those Victoria’s Secret coupons for free panties that come in the mail, and (a personal favorite at my campus) free iced coffee day at Dunkin Donuts.  And then there’s all those campus club meetings and fundraisers where they give out free food, and sometimes on hot days, free water bottles! It may not seem like much, but it doesn’t get much better than a free, ice cold water bottle.

3. Dining Hall Specials
After a long and stressful day most people want to indulge in a quality meal, and well, that usually doesn’t happen at the d-hall.  But sometimes you’ll walk in to discover that they ARE offering something completely delish and suddenly the whole day gets better. At my school we have something called “Premium Dessert Night,” where we got to follow up our meager bowl of salad or mystery meat with a stunning array of desserts prepared by special chefs! Oreo cheesecake, tartufo ice cream….mmm! There was also one guy (Will) that made the most bangin’ omelets on Saturdays and Sundays.  These were the only two things that made me actually want to head to the dining hall rather than stay in my 2×4 excuse for a room eating peanut butter out of the jar.

4. Prime Spots at the Library
An open table near an outlet with 3 open seats for your friends? And it just so happens to be behind a giant wall of books that hide your snacking from the evil library staff?  Heaven.

5. No Wait Time for Laundry!
We head to the laundry room about once a week whenever we run out of underwear and usually find all the washers and dryers already in use.  Or the dryers have been off for 2 hours but no one has come down to claim their clothes and you’re forced to pull out some guys tighty-whiteys so you can put your stuff in. The college laundry experience is annoying at best, dangerous and violent at worst (my freshman year roommate has gotten in some serious altercations over moving someone else’s clothes!). But sometimes, (usually on a weekend morning when everyone else is hungover), you’ll enter the laundry room to find the machines available! And maybe, if you’re REALLY lucky, the machine will have a glitch and wash your stuff without eating your $2 worth of quarters.

6. Random Acts of Kindness
There’s nothing like waking up to find that my roommate has already brewed coffee and left extra for me.  Or coming home to a plate of freshly baked cookies. Having people compliment your outfit on the way to class, your roomie with the killer wardrobe letting you borrow her favorite dress, or finding out that the girl you sit next to in English signed you in on the attendance sheet that morning you were too hungover tired to make it to class.

It’s easy to get bogged down with all the BS that comes with college life, but there’s so much to appreciate! So appreciate it! Make sure to recognize the small victories that come your way and take advantage of ‘em. From what I hear, things only get worse in the real world… and the free stuff isn’t nearly as abundant.

No one's getting booty in this room. Trust.

It’s the Scout Motto: Always be prepared. But I don’t think my Girl Scout troop leader was referring to booty calls when she ingrained that piece of advice into my head.

On a college campus you never know who you’re going to meet… and then want to take back to your room… to get to know each other better. The last thing you want is to bring a suitor home one night and have them leave the next morning without their wallet because it’s lost in a sea of your dirty laundry (true story). Or worse, bring them home and have them remember they have “somewhere to be” (at 3 a.m.) after spotting your My Little Pony collection on your nightstand.

Being prepared for spontaneity may be an oxymoron, but it has safely guarded my dignity and late night encounters thus far. Here are a few life tips I have adapted in my quest to divide and conquer, without letting those boys see my Spanx.

Good Idea: Have some sexy lingerie out on the bed. There’s no reason your guy can’t be led to believe that you sleep in see-through nightgowns every night of the week. He can file that one away right alongside “girls never poop.”
Bad Idea: Procrastination and laundry are my two archenemies, but it’s simply never a good idea to have your dirty laundry sprawled across the floor, including the granny panties you’ve been wearing all week. Helpful tip: no one will see it when it’s stuffed at the bottom of your closet.

Good Idea: Having pictures of your friends displayed throughout your room.
Bad Idea: Having a framed picture of your dad holding a 12-gauge shotgun. Let’s be real. That’s not going to set the mood.

Good Idea: Candles may be banned in dorm rooms, but try your best to keep your room smelling nice. The scent of fresh laundry or perfume wafting through your room will keep your guy coming back for more. Or, at the very least, he won’t be repulsed by the aroma of old milk and mildew.
Bad Idea: Having three half-eaten boxes of pizza scattered around the room. Two-day old pepperoni has an unforgettable scent that is sure to make you gag upon catching a whiff. Moldy cheese is not an aphrodisiac – don’t forget that.

Good Idea: A freshly made bed with crisp sheets and fluffy pillows.
Bad Idea: A freshly made bed covered in 42 pillows shaped like cats.

Good Idea: Continual bikini line and leg hair maintenance.
Bad Idea: Not shaving from November to April to reduce your heating bill and still keep warm. He may love to stroke your hair, but not when it’s on your legs.

Good Idea: Having a copy of the Kama Sutra on your bookshelf amongst other notable books and novels. Impressive and sexy. Now he can love you for your brains and your sexual prowess.
Bad Idea: Asking him to read you a few chapters of Twilight before bed. It’s either that or a chapter from Sex for Dummies, which has a prominent place on your nightstand. Awkward.

Good Idea: Having a variety of condoms readily available to you.
Bad Idea: No matter what anyone says, neither saran wrap nor chicken skin is an acceptable form of birth control.

"Mom! Can you bring me some ice cream??"

It’s your last class of the week and it’s creeping by even more slowly than usual. You flip through your stack of Power Point slides. Twelve pages to go and only twenty minutes left in the class. There’s no way you’ll get out of here on time thanks to that ass in the front row who raises his hand every 3 minutes.

You aren’t paying much attention to the prof (why should you? You’ve got the entire lecture printed out in front of you) and instead are counting down the minutes until you’re back home for the weekend eating your mom’s famous burgers and showering without flip flops.

Class finally ends and you run back to the dorm. You only have an hour to pack before you need to hit the road. You dig your suitcase out from under your bed (“That’s where my round brush went!”) and throw it open. You don’t need a lot for your two day retreat; you don’t plan on doing much besides lay around on your parents’ couch and raid the pantry. You toss in a few pairs of sweats, one nice outfit (because your mom has made it clear that she didn’t buy you all those nice jeans to have them sit in the closet) and some very basic toiletries. You’ll just use mom’s shampoo/ conditioner/ hair dryer/ makeup… if the need arises.

There is still plenty of room left in your bag so you drag your laundry bag out of your closet and start filling up the suitcase with your dirties. You’re sure your mother’s empty-nest syndrome will be alleviated with a few loads of your laundry. And if nothing else, at least you’ll be able to do it for free.

Once your bag is zipped – which required a lot of pushing and a gallon of sweat – you change into something that won’t leave your mom yelling at you for looking like a hobo, dab on a little makeup, throw the necessary books/laptop into your messenger bag and head out.

You enjoy a nice a relaxing weekend at home filled with “I missed you” hugs, binge drinking lectures and your mom shoving food down your throat whenever she can. You eat 5 solid meals, take 25 minute (hot!) showers and wake up well rested after 14 hours of much needed rest to find your laundry has not only been done, but folded! Despite a few typical tiffs with the siblings (“OMG! I was wondering what happened to that skirtyou little thief!”), it feels great to be home and the weekend goes by far too quickly.  Sunday afternoon eventually rolls around and it’s time to head back to campus.

But not without some rations. As you head out the door, your mother hands you a bag filled to the brim with your favorite foods: giant Tupperwares filled with her chicken noodle soup, a few loaves of your favorite bread, and homemade chocolate chip cookies that you know will elevate your social status in the dorm the moment you return.

As you kiss your parents goodbye and head back to school you feel cleaner, fuller and better rested than ever.

Yeah, we’ve all been there….
But we kept all those cookies to ourselves.