10 signs you are back on the Wilkes campus

With fall around the corner, many find happiness in seasonal joys, such as the warm and sunny days with breezy nights, pumpkin spice coffee making a return to Dunkin Donuts, and the beginning of football games and fantasy drafts. From saying “see you later” to friends at home, to picking up a new planner, you quickly find yourself back in the Barre to complete yet another year of your college education at Wilkes University. For those of you who don’t feel officially back into the swing of the semester and the hard grind of being a Colonel, here are 10 evident signs to help jumpstart your memory.

You know you are back on the Wilkes campus when…

1. Printer problems have already begun.

Farley library is already flooded with students leaving the printers paper-jammed and in need of assistance. Forget about stopping before class to print out those last-minute PowerPoints from LIVE. You either end up spending an extra 10 cents on having to print through the color printer with the others out of commission while also missing the first half of class by the time you get logged onto the computers.

2. There are zero parking spots available.

Get your quarters and dimes ready, guys. If a commuter or off-campus resident, you can never be more than two minutes late or you’ll find yourself driving aimlessly in circles thinking you found a spot but it’s really just a sports car you didn’t see the tail end of. This will result in meter parking on the streets which will eat all of your pocket change by the end of your full day of classes.

3. Starbucks has already become your home away from your apartment.

It’s only going into the third week of classes, but yet the Starbucks employees already have your order down to a science with your name (actually spelled correctly) displayed on your cup waiting for you at the end of the counter.

4. Most of your week nights for the semester have been already booked by Programming Board and Student Government.

Forget about attending that bio review session or working on that group PowerPoint presentation. You will be too busy picking out your attire for the homecoming dance, or attending the Kirby and riverside concerts along with wing wars and pizza wars. Let’s be real, no homework assignment is going to keep you away from casino night with all the free giveaways and awesome prizes.

5. It’s not even October and half of your dining dollars are gone.

You swear someone hacked your account and stole your meal plan, but in reality you have been ordering out and eating in at Frank’s subconsciously on a four times-a-week basis.

6. You wake up on Thursday mornings with a sigh of relief.

Friday nights  signify the start of the weekend, but Thursday nights are what Wilkes students count down the days until. Thursday nights mean Rodano’s, friends, and lots and lots of pitchers. You may have a rough Friday morning, but the late night out was worth it.

7. You won’t let anything get between you and your $3 movie pass.

Nothing is more frustrating than when you realize you forgot your wallet at home or in your car which restricts you from waiting in line for your bargain of a movie ticket. And on any given day you did remember, most likely your friends did not, in which you end up spotting them because they are the ones you made plans with to see Suicide Squad on the weekend.

8. You are out of breath by the time you reach the top floor of any building on campus.

By the time you reach the third floor of the Sub or the fourth floor of Stark, you realize how out of shape you are and contemplate adding more cardio and gym time to your schedule.

9. You have been officially warned about skunks roaming Wilkes-Barre.

Usually University emails within the first couple days of the semester involve content regarding club day, welcome back messages, and bookstore deals. Nowhere else but at Wilkes would students receive word from city officials advising to stay away from such creatures at all costs.

10. In some weird way, all of these signs make you proud to be a Colonel.

Like it or leave it, looking back on this campus one day and thinking about all of these crazy notions is going to make you smile and laugh. The memories made here will have forever shaped your college experience and stick permanently with you. Acknowledging these signs not only reminds you of a full school year ahead, but is what also gives you Colonel pride.