It's not something I was willing to admit, but part of my attendance to WMU was the aesthetic. There's something inherently charming to me about a hilly, modern, and walkable location that also looks great in any weather. Part of this was Lee Honors College, a small building in the center of campus that can be a hub of knowledge and studying, with students of all ages coming in and out of the building ready to get work done in the lounge or grab a drink in the kitchen. But for me, what attracted me to the building was the kitchen.

During my first tours of the college, I was already picturing myself with a perfectly clean, systematic daily routine pretty enough for a TikTok, where I started my day at Lee, getting myself a drink to start my day. Though I had this cute scene in mind, it took months for me to start living that reality.

It started as a quick mood and temperature booster in January 2026. The Winter was biting, and more assignments and projects kept showing up on my plate. I decided one day to grab a quick hot chocolate at the kitchen to boost my mood, and it was absolutely the right decision. The sweetness of the hot chocolate cut through bad moods, the mental image of me being a put-together adult got me motivated, and it easily cemented itself as a key aspect of my morning routines, with me getting out of bed motivated by fitting in some time to get hot chocolate before class.

The routine has come down to almost an exact science. I always know which time I should end breakfast to get hot chocolate and have enough time to make it to class. I make the same combination every day, adding in a scoop of cinnamon and more vanilla cream than I really need. I sometimes grab a mint tea with sugar instead on days where my stomach doesn't feel good or I've already shoved more donuts and/or French toast sticks in my mouth than I should.

I am not in the honors college for the academics. To be honest, I won't be in the honors college much longer at all. Despite this, it somehow found a way to lock itself in my daily routines. It may just be Swiss Miss hot chocolate with hot water and Amazon-brand cinnamon, but it means a lot to my daily life and my mentality. When I'm gone, I'll miss the simplicity of getting my morning cocoa in the cute central academic building. I do regret not taking advantage of it more for studying, honors courses, and other opportunities, but at least I was able to take something of value from there.