College laundry room. Photo by Katelyn Avery.

Shuffling at a snail’s pace I make it through my residence halls lounge. Laundry in hand I descend from the second floor to the basement. I take the stairs even though the elevator is obviously a better choice, given the circumstances. I never take the elevator though, and even a heavy hamper of laundry doesn’t get me in. I never work out (not since the summer), so I’ve convinced myself that avoiding elevators will cover my exercise needs. I’m barely making this routine work.

As I turn the corner from the stairs to the laundry room door I can expect to see one or two fellow college students, and maybe one free washing machine. On this special occasion my expectations were rocked.

There was a fellow student in the room, but the machines were not packed with clothes. Every machine, but the one being used by the other student, was free. I hadn’t seen the laundry room this empty since the first day of school.

A smile hit my face real fast, and I commented to the other student, “It’s a miracle.” She agreed. Finding a free washing machine is the constant struggle for college kids who don’t commute (assuming commuters don’t go to a Laundromat). So is fitting all their clothes in the machine at one time, and then wondering why the dryer is twice as big. Either way empty machines are a gift when you’re in college. Remember to enjoy that miracle. Well, if you’re ever blessed enough to find this scenario in your colleges laundry room.

-Katelyn Avery

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