Full disclosure: I tried the water challenge for one day, with minor adjustments to fit my routine. On Saturday, I made an effort to go to the bathroom in another dorm, and showered at the sports center. I tried to stay out of my dorm for most of the day because that would reduce the chances that I'd want to go to the bathroom while in my dorm building. Sunday, I was out of underwear and had to do my laundry, so that was the end of the water challenge for me.
Writing this now, I feel like a stuck-up whiny princess. But although I didn't participate fully in the challenge, even for that one day I became more aware of how frustrating and time-consuming getting water can be. Setting aside time in my schedule, or knowing that a bathroom break could take about five minutes from my study time was hard, but it made me appreciate that life here at Wellesley is really easy compared to other parts of the world. I can see how the process of getting water in developing countries is a daily struggle. And not to mention that the water in those places isn't always potable or safe to drink. I have taken bucket showers and used pit latrines while traveling through India with my family, and stayed with relatives who have a water tank in the bathroom and boil water every morning. Water is a necessity, but unfortunately it is a luxury for so many people.
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