For many of us, laundry is a dreaded chore. But when you have to pay for each and every load, this task becomes even more daunting.
As many colleges charge for the use of their laundry services, this could be an extra challenge for students.
The transition to freshman year of college can be tough even when the college is a good fit—academically, socially, vocationally and financially.
Contrary to what most may think, the biggest adjustment for college freshmen is social. This includes things like life skills, independence, roommate issues, organizational skills, and time management.
Learning new skills in college.
One of these challenging life skills can be when a student tries to figure out how to do laundry in college.
College life is busy and requires tremendous discipline as freshmen adjust to life away from home with more freedom and independence.
When my son was a freshman at Stanford, it was a major adjustment for him to manage his time, given all the social distractions that come with college, like meeting new friends, joining clubs, and going to parties.
When he came home for break, I was pleasantly surprised that he had no dirty laundry.
I thought to myself, “Wow, how impressive! He made time to do laundry!”
Well, I quickly learned that Stanford has free laundry. So, I guess it wasn’t that impressive…
Time and money saving tips for university students.
Having free laundry in college really does make life a bit easier.
It becomes one less thing for students to worry about.
No more, “Just finished studying at 1 a.m. in the morning . . . time to do laundry. No quarters . . . need to do laundry. Need a clean shirt for an interview . . . must do laundry.”
When I was in college at Stanford, there was no such thing as free laundry. I would spend a lot of wasted time thinking about how I was going to get quarters to do laundry.
Even though there was a bank on campus, it was a hassle because the bank’s 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. hours didn’t always work with my schedule. If I was lucky, I could borrow quarters from my dorm mates.
If free laundry had been an option, my (and my fellow students’) eternal struggle of figuring out how to do laundry at college would have been solved.
As was proven by my son’s experience, some things never change, like how busy and demanding the life of a college student can be. That’s why any opportunity for a student to save money and time should be looked at seriously.
Are you struggling to find the right college? Sign up for my FREE upcoming master class!
Free laundry shouldn’t be overlooked.
When a high school junior is developing their college list, free laundry may not be at the top of their list of considerations for a fit. But once they’re in college, it will make a huge difference for them.
So, when you’re putting together a list of colleges your child might want to attend, don’t discount the power of free laundry! Include information about the laundry services offered by colleges in your searches.
It might seem like a small thing at the time, but it can save valuable time and money at college—two precious resources that can be better spent elsewhere.
If you’d like to hear more about how to put together a college list, don’t miss this post.
Are you looking for one-on-one guidance for how to get into (or pay for) college? Click here for help.
If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss these either:
Living Off Campus: Pros and Cons
College Application Checklist
Get In and Get Money: 5 Tips for College-Bound Juniors
