Laundry

So college finally got here. I moved in all of my things, got through my first week of classes, and survived communal shower rooms. With the end of week one came my first encounter with doing the laundry.
I was actually looking forward to doing my laundry. After getting out on my own, taking care of myself, and setting my own schedule without my parents, the laundry would be the final accomplishment for the week.
Saturday morning I came down the stairs, and the washers were all full. "Not a big deal," I thought to myself, and I resolved to come back after lunch. Lunch came and went, and the status on the washing machines remained the same. Finally, after supper, a washing machine was available. One of my high school friends saved the washer for me while I darted upstairs to grab my laundry basket and quarters. I loaded up my laundry, started the cycle, and proceeded to bide my time in the dorm lounge. Meanwhile, two of the four dryers were taken out of commission, as people didn't follow the directions posted on the wall. Our already long line to dry clothes just doubled. Two hours later, I am finally finished washing and drying my clothes. Isn't this the Saturday night that most kids dream of at college? (I didn't think so either)
Lesson learned: Don't do your laundry on Saturday. No one has class on Saturday, so that is the day that is most available for everyone to wash clothes.

Tips to make your laundry day a success:
1. As stated above, don't do laundry on Saturday. Find a day in your schedule during the week that you have enough time to do your laundry.
2. Make sure you know how to wash your laundry before you come. Some people have never done their own laundry before they go off to college. Do a couple of "test runs" at home to make sure you know the ins and outs before leaving home. Check out this webpage for detailed instructions. http://www.ehow.com/how_46_laundry.html
3. Find laundry detergent/fabric softener/dryer sheets that you like the smell of and that you know you aren't allergic to. You can always continue using what you typically use at home. I have foud that Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets are very convenient, as they serve as all three: detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets in one convenient sheet. No measuring and pouring, and they're pretty compact, so they make the most of the limited space in your dorm room. (Check out http://www.purex.com/purex-3-in-1/ for mor info)
4. Save your quarters! It takes a lot of quarters to wash and dry a single load of clothes. At $1.50 for washing and $1.25 for drying, that's $2.75 for a single load...if they dry completely. It's a good idea to have a change jar specifically for quarters so that you can save them to use on your laundry.
(Laundry picture found at http://www.laundrybasketcork.com/IMAGES/stock/bigmixedbasket.jpg)