This past week has been interesting, both because of housing assignment anxiety and my experiment regarding shower oranges. First and foremost, I feel the same (although possibly worse due to outside forces such as finals and the aforementioned housing anxiety). But that does not mean that eating an orange in the shower isn’t a fun thing to add to your routine; actually, I would really recommend it. There is nothing like half-peeling a cold orange and biting into it like an apple. And where’s a better place to do that than a shower? Within a shower you have free range to eat the orange however messily you please, and I think that is part of the charm of the shower orange. 

The first day of my experiment, Thursday April 22, I did exactly that. I half-peeled my orange that came straight from the fridge as recommended by users on reddit, and I messily ate it while warm water rained down on me. That first day I allowed myself to really experience the orange instead of quickly eating one between classes or while multitasking. In the shower, I was able to take a deep breath and not think about anything—or at least not think of anything else but to NOT DROP THE ORANGE. That day I was terrified of it slipping out of my hands and onto the grimy floor of the Pom three showers, but for some reason, every day after that I no longer cared. Why would it matter if I lost an orange to the filth? That is what the shower orange taught me. 

Reflecting on the entire week though, I honestly don’t remember much. Maybe this is because of the mystical powers of the shower orange, or maybe because every day blends together into mush in my brain. Either way, remembering nothing means there was nothing bad to really remember! Just as I expected, eating oranges in the shower was not a negative experience in the slightest but more of a weird relaxing (and delicious) one. It also helped that I held no expectations. Eating an orange in the shower may be a nice way to maybe make yourself happier if you are able to, meaning if you are a generally happy person. But shower oranges are not exactly a pragmatic way to go about dealing with finals anxiety, and I knew that going in. It’s actually shower grapefruits that can solve all the major emotional problems in your life! 

Realistically, the shower orange lifestyle is a good one, and it’s fun in that you can’t take yourself too seriously when animalistically eating citrus! And for real, don’t suggest eating grapefruits in the shower on r/showerorange, I found a few users that hold serious disdain for shower grapefruit fans. Also, it just sounds gross. 

I may try enjoying a shower orange again from time to time, but preferably in a private bathroom with regularly cleaned showers. After this week, I realize that when going into something strange and new it’s best to not have any high expectations, especially if said thing is as ridiculous as the shower orange. To get the most out of any experience you have to truly experience it: feel the cold juices running down your face, taste the sweet citrus and allow warm water to cascade over you for no reason other than it feels good. 

Finally, this week-long journey would not have been possible without some lovely people. Thank you to my boyfriend and his friends for allowing me to shower in their grad to try and get the more secluded shower orange experience. And thank you to Thomas Pickering, one of the deputy opinions editors, for grabbing two oranges for me from the dining hall that one time. 

Editor’s Note: This is the second part in the series, “shower orange”