Recently I’ve had some bad luck. My car battery died while running an errand for my internship. My computer screen broke. And I got laryngitis and tonsillitis the week before classes started.

All of these unfortunate events resulted in immediate frustration, anxiety and the feeling that life was definitely ending. How was I supposed to deal with a dead car battery when I’ve never even looked inside the hood of my car? How was I supposed to make it through even one day without a functioning computer? With only a tiny spot of the screen unbroken, it felt like I was looking at the world (aka my e-mail, Facebook, and Neimanmarcus.com) with squinted eyes. And let me tell you something about swollen tonsils – they are nowhere near fun. I couldn’t eat or talk normally for four days.

Even though I stress more than is necessary and dwell on situations when their solutions are quite simple, I am an optimist at heart. Once the panic passes, I stop and breathe and think about the lesson learned.

When my car battery died, I discovered how much I didn’t know about cars and how important it was for me to educate myself about what exactly is going on under the hood. $300 later, I had a new battery, a car that ran fine and parents who weren’t letting me off the hook until I swore to check my oil regularly and learn where a car battery is located.

When my computer screen broke, I have to admit, instant panic set in. It was the day before the start of classes and my busiest semester thus far. The cost to fix my 4- year- old laptop? Several estimates confirmed my fear; it was going to cost a whopping $500. I would much rather spend that money on clothes or a new purse, but no, it now must go to repairs or – the smarter choice – a new laptop. Let the research begin. I knew nothing about gigabytes and memory. I wasn’t even sure what a hard drive did. It’s safe to say, I had to self educate. This week I will have a new computer.

Laryngitis and tonsillitis, my two archenemies, taught me the importance of having a primary care physician in Dallas. I’ve lived here for three years now and of course, it took a 103- degree fever and tonsils the size of golf balls to get me in to the doctor. Having a pediatrician – who has treated me since I was 4- years- old – located in Pasadena, Calif. wasn’t going to cut it. Again, I had a Jiminy Cricket sitting on my shoulder saying, “Christina, you’re an idiot, find a doctor.”

The bottom line? Just because you wear Tory Burch and carry Louis Vuitton doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to check your oil and change your car battery every four or five years. Just because your sole use for a computer is Facebook and finding online designer sales, doesn’t mean you can’t learn how that fancy laptop works – gigabytes and all. And lastly, get over doctor-phobia. If you’re an out-of-state student and have made it to your junior year, please, find a general physician.

Whether or not I like it, I have to realize that I’m becoming an adult. It’s horrifying to think about it, but in a year I’ll be in the “real world.” Over the past few months I’ve started realizing how lucky I am that my four years in college are a practice run. And if there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few months, it’s that college shouldn’t just be about preparing for that soon-to-be dream job. We shouldn’t forget about learning those “real world” lessons that are going to come up until we’re old and gray. Take the time and learn about cars, laptops and other daily necessities. After all, college is a lot like bumper bowling – you can mess up and not have to worry about getting stuck in the gutter.

-Christina Geyer

Chief Copy Editor