It’s remarkable how overwhelming the tasks of adult life are, particularly here. We all know how distressing life can get when essay plans and question sheets and last week’s lectures begin to pile up; you’ve been hungover one too many times this week, and you haven’t eaten a vegetable in days. Are you even still human? Not only is there always more academic work to do, but there are also all those household tasks which are so easy to forget about, like cooking and cleaning. But there’s one task I’ve managed to reframe as a comforting and even joyful part of my lifestyle. I’d like to posit an off-the-wall solution to the extreme panic one can find oneself spiralling into as a student here: let me introduce you to the restorative power of a trip to your college laundry room.

“I’ve found that investing in yourself and your physical environment can be magical for your mental state”

I know, I know; this isn’t what you expected to hear. Laundry services in college are notorious for being outrageous on several counts: the majority of my college community treats that dingy room in the basement as basically a hellscape. In 2018, Cambridge students dressed up in Circuit Laundry costumes to portray ‘Cambridge uni’s biggest villain’. College laundry is accused of being overpriced, dysfunctional and generally a massive hassle. And I can see those infamous red flags very clearly, yet despite this, I can’t get behind the laundry room hate (am I in a toxic relationship with Circuit Laundry?). Humour me for a moment while I make my case.

This term, I’ve come to rely on doing laundry as the standard remedy to which I turn to first in moments of overwhelm. There is something so deeply therapeutic about ridding your room of everything that has built up throughout the week: taking all of your clothes, sheets and towels out of your space; banishing the negative energy you’ve acquired, creating a blank canvas in your room to start afresh and letting the cycle begin again.

“For some people, making a cup of tea is the solution in any moment of distress, and for me, laundry provides the same effect”

I’ve found that investing in yourself and your physical environment can be magical for your mental state. Its mundanity allows you to switch gears: the part of the brain you use to bear the heavy intellectual and emotional load of life at Cambridge can take a break, and instead you can achieve that kick of dopamine through something so simple and mindless. When everything is piling up, it allows you to regain a modicum of control and remind yourself that you are capable of straightening everything out. If you’re having a bad day, and don’t feel like you can face adult life, and you want to feel like you’ve achieved just one thing today, let it be your laundry: it’s an excellent place to start.

The phrase that initially comes to mind to describe my experience of doing laundry in college is a ‘cheap thrill’, but I understand that this isn’t really a fair review. At my college, the cheapest washing load is £2.40, and the privilege of enjoying dry clothes will set you back another £1.80; that is, if one round in the dryer is even sufficient.

I can absolutely empathise with those who are repulsed by this sky-high fee: I understand that if there’s any serious complaint to be made about laundry in college, it is the cost, which is bordering on inaccessible. I find this genuinely quite problematic: having regular access to clean clothes shouldn’t cause such financial strain. But is the laundry fee really such a rip-off? Not when you consider it a crucial part of your self-care routine.

For some people, making a cup of tea is the solution in any moment of distress, and for me, laundry provides the same effect. Taking the time to reframe my mental state by washing, folding and putting away everything I possibly can is refreshing in a totally unique way. If you happen to see me stomping to the laundry room in my sliders at the witching hour, know that you may well have caught me in a moment of madness, particularly if the moon is full; but trust also, that the remedial effects of having clean sheets and a fresh smelling wardrobe works wonders, and if you catch me in the laundry room, assume that it is probably the highlight of my week. Next time you’re feeling low, I suggest you treat yourself to a Superwash Plus.