Thumbs Up

Strangers Holding Doors – When we go back home from school, we are astonished that no one wants to hold the door for 45 seconds for us as we walk into the same building as them. People at this school are the nicest—thanks for making sure we never have to take our hands out of our pockets when it’s in the teens outside.

Free Newspapers in The Dining Hall – Thanks for all the New York Times, Boston Globes, Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine and Wall Street Journals—it makes keeping up with life outside of this bubble just a little bit easier. Plus, we couldn’t be pretentious college students if we didn’t eat our breakfast with the paper open before us. Next step, steak and eggs and free coffee because we are such regulars.

The Blizzard – Look, by now, if this “historic,” blizzard of the century is the real deal, then it’s already snowing. We feel the seams of our soul ripping apart with the idea of getting a snow day for a second year in a row. We’re getting ready for cancelled classes, and just absolute madness. Boston has been saving up all the snow for this one, terrific moment, and we cannot wait for all of it to just come falling down.

Thumbs Down

The Monsoon – The blizzard was huge farce and it got too warm at the last moment in typical Boston fashion and it’s just a torrential downpour out there and everything is flooding and our laptops and books are waterlogged because they won’t cancel class and we slip down the Million Dollar Stairs and sprain an ankle and everyone laughs at us before they fall down too and we just want snow.

Getting Sick Already – We had been back at school for three days when first noticed our dwindling tissue supply. We thought we would have at least a few more weeks before the BC Flu hit us hard again. It’s like that first round of midterms—you know it’s coming, but you want to put it off for as long as possible. Well, there’s always next semester to try to stay healthy. For now, Netflix, Vitamin C, and excessive naps.

Getting Your Textbooks in the Mail – We know we ordered them, but every time we get a package receipt notification, we still harbor hope it will be a care package filled with cookies and money. But, nope, textbooks.

Don’t Blink – We’re on week three already. Make smarter choices with your time. We certainly will be.