The summer before my freshman year at Tufts, I was casually looking through the Class of 2018 Facebook Page where people where asking all these great questions like “What kind of computer should an engineer get?” and “How big are the dorm rooms?” and “Which pre-orientation should I do?” There I was, sitting at my computer, with an important question of my own. I typed it out and checked for spelling and grammar errors. As I was about to press ‘enter,’ I thought, “Stop. Wait a minute. Do you really want to post that? Is it really a good idea to ask this particular question?” It was an innocent, yet very relevant question. I was sure that other people were wondering about it too, but like me, no one wanted to ask. At the time, it seemed like the question was of the utmost importance. I just had to know the answer. For a good forty-five minutes I debated whether I should press ‘enter’ or not. I played out different scenarios in my head. I worried that people would think I was weird, or that I would become “that kid from the Facebook group.” One simple, basic, important question started to affect my sanity.
Do we need to bring our own toilet paper?
I wondered if I would need to pack enough toilet paper to last the semester, or if I would need to make weekly trips to CVS. What happens if I run out? Is there an emergency supply? Maybe a special vending machine? Are there toilet paper giveaways during orientation? Like Oprah giving cars to her audience members. “You get a roll! You get a roll! EVERYBODY GETS A ROLL!!”
Oprah Winfrey's Iconic Car Giveaway
Instead of just asking, I tried to find the answers on my own. I searched through every packing list I could find. None of them said anything about toilet paper. Did everyone know the answer except for me? Spoiler alert: Tufts does in fact stock all bathrooms with toilet paper, which I found out as soon as I arrived on campus. Sadly, I did not get to meet the queen of daytime TV.
I had many fears before coming to Tufts from picking classes to finding my way around to wondering if Tufts was actually a good fit for me. I realize now that no question is too wild to ask because there are probably people who are wondering about exactly the same thing.
Image courtesy of Bill Ebbesen