Worst. Day. Ever

How much do you actually remember of the first day of your freshman year in college? Do you remember what classes you took? Do you remember what time they were at? Where you were sitting? What you were wearing? Most likely, you can't answer all these questions, or even most of them. But that's understandable. After a while the days all run together don't they? I, though, will be able to answer every one of these questions for years to come. I'm a freshman here at the University of Washington, and my first day of my college career was perhaps my worst day ever.

I had set out my outfit the night before (it's a habit), purple long-sleeved shirt, jeans that made my butt look good, and the most comfortable purple heels ever. I even had all my jewelry picked out already as well as the belt I planned on wearing. I also set my alarm clock the night before for 7 o'clock. I figured I have classes every morning at 8:30 or 9:30. 7:00 is a good stable time to get me into a routine. I fell asleep, and woke up the next morning to my internal alarm clock. Wonderful! I thought, I woke up before my alarm. I then glanced at my cell phone to see the yellow glare of the numbers 9:28 staring back at me. Two minutes before my first class. Not good. The building my class was in was all the way across campus! I could never make it!

I resigned myself to cursing under my breath and sighing loudly before getting out of the bed to get ready. I was at LEAST going to make it to my 10:30 class. I started getting dressed standing in front of the curtains that served as a covering for my closet. I had just slipped into my jeans and put my foot down when suddenly the curtain rod came crashing down on my head. I kept myself standing and simply muttered a few choice words. I detangled from the curtains and realized I had ten minutes before my next class started. Should I run? I asked myself. Run.

I made it to my next class...late. Not too late mind, just the kind of late where everyone is already seated, the door is closed, and the professor is taking roll. I opened the door and quickly threw on my most apologetic face saying, "Sorry" in a quiet voice. The professor simply directed me to the only open seat; back-middle. I slipped through people, trying not to disturb them, muttering, "Excuse me." and "Sorry." More times than I care to count. I finally got to my seat and sat down quietly, sighing inwardly and thinking, Well. My day can't get too much worse. Can it? My first class (well, the first I attended) passed without incident and I slipped up after class to the professor to apologize for my tardiness, to which she responded congenially and simply told me, "It happens." I'm sure it does.

I glanced at my phone as I left the classroom, seeing I had a text message from a friend who I had planned to have lunch with that day. In the text she stated that she wasn't feeling very well and asked if we could reschedule. "Sure thing. Hope you feel better." I sent back, now wondering what I would do with myself for the rest of the day. I decided to walk down to the University Book Store and buy a book for one of my classes.

I got to the store, fought my way through the crowd downstairs and into the section I needed locating the book I needed on a bottom shelf. I jumped into line as quickly as possible. The UBS line, which normally is long but moves very quickly, moved at a snail's pace as it snaked through the lines of books. I finally reached a register and had only one guy ahead of me and started feeling relieved that soon I would be able to get out of the claustrophobia-inducing crowd. I watched as the cashier scanned the guys books and told him his total. He slipped a card out of his wallet and handed it to her. She glanced at it, and proceeded to tell him that they only took Visa or MasterCard, and told him they had an ATM upstairs that he could use. Great. I thought, They're going to make me wait until he gets back! Luckily though she told him that she would simply hold his books for him and that he could come back to that register and check out without having to wait in line again.

He was headed upstairs as I sidled forward handing the cashier my one book which she quickly scanned, taking the card I already had out and swiping it through. As the receipt printed I noticed the price on the green screen above the register. $242.78 A full $100 dollars more than my book cost! I quickly pointed this out to the girl, saying that I thought that was the price of the books for the guy ahead of me. She glanced at the register, my book, and the receipt that had already been spit out by the machine. She started apologizing profusely, all the while I, trying not to blow up after the hellish day I'd been having, reassured her that is was ok, that it was a simple mistake, that I understood how stressful working here probably was, and that she needn't worry. She tried quickly to find someone who knew how to void a receipt, as she obviously didn't, and I sat there taking deep breathes for a few more minutes, hearing the exasperated "Hmpf!" and foot-tapping of the odorous man behind me and willing my body to keep from turning and telling him to Back-Off!, all the while feeling the urge to start Hmpf-ing and foot-tapping myself.

Finally, the receipt was voided, I had my book and was leaving the store, slightly on edge as she told me that I should continue checking my bank statement, "Just in case it doesn't void." Fabulous. I arrived home, telling my roommates about my day, as they laughed slightly at my descriptions and told me that I did indeed take the cake for worst day. Grabbing a cup of coffee and my laptop I sat down and started in on some work. I'm sure you can assume what happened next. I spilt coffee all over my shirt. I quickly lifted my computer, scanning it to make sure none had spilt in the keys or anywhere. Luckily, except for a small dot of creamy brown liquid to the left of the mouse pad, the coffee hadn't touched it.

The rest of the afternoon passed without incident, lifting my mood slightly. I ate lunch, did some work, messed around on the ever alluring Facebook and listened to Matisyahu, attempting to lighten my mood. Late in the afternoon I left with a friend to visit some people in a dorm across campus to watch a movie. All of this going quite smoothly without any major mishaps. On the long trek home however I had the complete and utter fortune to almost get hit by a car, not only once, but twice.

The first time we were walking up the Ave and were crossing the street with a large group in front of us we were in the middle of the street when the red, do not walk, hand came up. We walked a bit faster the get to the other side as a small car came barreling up towards us slowing down only moments before, if going her original speed, she would have crashed into me. The second occurred as we were passing by an alley behind a house. We were on the side walk, but just in the middle of the alley's entrance when I noticed a car start turning into the alley and coming to a screeching halt right by my knees.

So, add these couple not-quite-near-death-but-close-enough accidents and everything else to the fact that I'd had a cold since two days prior and I think my day ranks fairly high in the competition of "Worst First Day of Freshman Year at University Ever". But maybe I'm biased.