Most of Bucknell’s Class of 2027 has started settling in, and by now, we have stopped calling our parents to help us with laundry every week. However, when laundry time comes around, the question arises: should I wash my sheets? The answer is yes, nine times out of ten, wash your sheets. I asked my fellow first-years about the subject and found that most people don’t need to wash their sheets because they are never in bed or put on clean clothes right before sleeping. Coming from a fellow first-year student, this is just delusional. Just because you put on clean clothes or shower before sleeping does not mean that dust has not collected in your bed throughout the day. When I asked upper-level students, many said the same thing: they wash their sheets once a week or every two weeks. My fellow first-years, please take note.

Upperclassmen, who were once first-years themselves, have plenty of advice to offer to first-years still figuring out the nuance of laundry machines and cycles. Maya Fetzer ’26 said that washing your sheets every week helps you stay clean and that if the busy schedule gets the best of you, at least wash them every other week. If you do not want to wash your sheets for your sanity, wash them out of respect for your roommate, who probably does not appreciate the lack of personal hygiene standards.

Maya’s advice for the class of 2027: “Don’t be dumb – wash your sheets”. Caitlyn Hickey ’26 understands that schedules are busy, and with the unevolved time management skills that first-years tend to have, washing them every two weeks is reasonable. However, that being said, Caitlyn is giving us the benefit of the doubt while reminding us that “yYour mothers are probably disappointed that you’re not washing your sheets.” Jessie Zales ’24, said, “Every two or three weeks is okay, but if you are an athlete maybe consider washing your sheets more regularly”. Jessie noted that she is a little worried for those first-years who haven’t washed their sheets yet. But if her class made it through, so can ours. The question arises whether we will make it through with clean sheets. If you don’t want to wash your sheets for the sake of yourself, soak them to save your sanity when your mother finds out that you don’t wash your sheets—because inevitably, she will find out.

What might help the first-years stick to a sheet routine? Even if you do have poor time management skills, washing your pillowcase alongside the rest of your clothing loads is optimal. Set a reminder on your phone or own two sets of sheets, so if time slips away, you can still change your sheets every week or every other week. Having a clean bed can help reset your mind and re-organised for the week. This way, you can sleep in a clean bed when the “Sunday Scaries” creep up on you. It will make a massive difference at the end of a disappointing and, most of the time, unproductive day.