Many of us have grown up with the comfort of living in a cushy environment. Some of our biggest complaints are about having to wake up earlier than noon, not getting enough guacamole on our Chipotle burritos, or the fact that we all desperately miss our dogs at home. I had my own bout of distress after a trip to the Thinking Chair, aka the Porcelain King, the Lou, the John — in other words, the toilet.

I was twirling a wad of toilet paper off of the reel and I noticed how thin and rough the paper was. Ugh, 1-ply. This instance happened during my first week at college last year and I remember reminiscing not about how I missed home, my parents, or my friends, but how I missed 2-ply toilet paper. It was at that moment that I stopped and had two thoughts.

First: “Wow, OK, really Nicki?”  

Second: “At what point in my life did 2-ply toilet paper become something that I felt entitled to?”

From this seemingly strange incident, I realized how our lives can lead us to have outrageous and petty expectations. We need to stop expecting and start appreciating the little things — like 2-ply toilet paper. So I decided to take it upon myself to identify a few of those little things that I take for granted and that deserve recognition.

1. I appreciate having a roommate who does not snore.

The past couple years, I have heard horror stories from friends at college who had to deal with the muffled roar of their roommate each and every night. These snorer stories (pun intended) have led to sleepless nights, exhaustion during class and the slight urge to smother their roommate with a pillow. I realized how each night I have this expectancy of a good night’s sleep and I have taken for granted that not everyone has this experience. I would like to say that I treat my roommate with the same privilege, but unfortunately she has the displeasure of never knowing when I will start laughing in my sleep (since I have done so three times this semester).

2. I appreciate the importance of a practical pair of shoes.

This particular appreciation I learned the hard way. Being that I walk to all of my classes, I need shoes that will do me well come rain or shine — or blizzard or tornado or sweltering heat or blistering wind. Got to love Illinois, right? In the event of last week’s torrential downpour, I was glad to have my rain boots. However, about five minutes into my walk, a small pool of cold water filled my boot because of the worn down sole. Ironically, the shoes I bought specifically to keep out the rain are my least waterproof pair. Using my ingenuity, I now wear plastic Glad bags over my socks before I put on my boots. Moral of the story, never underestimate the luxury of a functional pair of shoes.

3. I appreciate clean laundry.

Whether currently living in a dorm or an apartment on campus, most of us can relate to the hassle that comes with doing laundry. I think this idea rings truest for incoming freshmen boys, who look like cavemen operating computers when using the machines. School provided a rude awakening when suddenly we needed five dollars to clean two loads and had to face the challenge of finding underwear in our laundry baskets that isn’t ours. I have even found myself wearing certain articles of clothing over and over again, spraying them with perfume between wears just to save me the trouble. There’s a definite line that dictates how long you can wear dirty clothes and have it be socially acceptable. And I am pretty sure I have crossed that line far too many times.

4. I appreciate 2-ply toilet paper.

Beyond the obvious purpose of toilet paper, it is useful in many other scenarios such as cold and flu season. During those dreadful days, we comfort our red, raw, runny noses with tissues and toilet paper. But nothing is comforting about thin, crunchy paper with little absorbency. To get the same effect as 2-ply requires pulling yards and yards of it off the roll like birthday streamers, resulting in a mummified me as I entangle myself in the process. Needless to say, I show an immense amount of gratitude whenever 2-ply makes its way back into my life.

These examples are only four of the many little things in my life that I am thankful for. By taking a step back and realizing how big of an impact supposedly trivial things really make, we can start to discover our many appreciations. From sleeping habits, to daily routines, we all have our certain levels of comfort that we mistake for requirements.

Nicki is a sophomore in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].