Going into my junior year, I was fairly certain I knew it all. I was pretty sure my third year as a college student wouldn’t bring on anything too new or foreign to me. I thought I had it down. The only thing that was going to be different about the oncoming year was my livingarrangement. Due to my new position as an RA for Warren Towers, I was going to be living on campus for the firsttime in my higher education career, in a freshman dorm on an all-girl floor.
I admit, when I first found out where I was going to be placed, I was less than thrilled. I think any junior moving in to a freshman dorm would feel the same way – especially one who has never received the on campus living experience. I was used to a clear distinction between school and home. The idea of dining halls left me feeling panicked and overwhelmed. I was sure I would choke on estrogen, being surrounded by forty girls for the majority of the time. I won’t even get myself started on how I felt about community bathrooms.
With all of this in mind, I decided to dive right into the year and try to be optimistic about it. This turned out to be the right decision.
Perhaps the first sign that my on campus experience was going to be a success was when I entered my room for the first time. I was holding my breath as I hesitantly opened the door. I’d heard horror stories about the closet-sized dorm rooms. I stepped into my single and…was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it wasn’t the master suite, but it was a perfectly adequate bedroom. Maybe I would have been more disappointed if I had been planning on hosting a ball or a rager in my room. But since I wasn’t,
I was a happy camper with my space in Warren.
Last year I lived in Cambridge and I had to give myself approximately forty-five minutes to get to school. It was kind of awful. On my first day this year, I woke up habitually late. I had thirty minutes to get dressed and get to my class. I made it. This would have been impossible if I was still living off campus. The word convenient comes to mind.
When I went to the dining hall, my initial reaction was shock. I didn’t understand how I was supposed to move three inches without bumping into someone. I saw the masses of people and felt as if it was feeding time at the zoo. It took me a few minutes to stop being a baby, and get myself a plate…and I was impressed! For the entirety of my sophomore year, living in an apartment away from home, I can count the different meals I had on three fingers: Chinese take-out, frozen pizza, and the always popular ramen. I guess it’s safe to say I’d never be accused of being the Julia Child of my generation.
I shocked myself with my quick adjustment to being constantly surrounded by people. There’s actually something very comforting about being surrounded by people who are going through the same things you’re going through. Sometimes the stress of being a college student is great (actually – most of the time), and seeing others who are also going crazy makes you feel a little more…sane.
While I can’t say I wouldn’t prefer to have my own bathroom, I guess a community bathroom is just another part of the college experience. Also, I’ve never been more social while sporting nothing but a towel in my entire life.
I realize I did the whole college thing backwards. I lived off campus for two years before moving on campus, but I’m glad I was able to get both experiences.
For two years I felt like a girl taking college classes. Now, for the first time in my life, I feel like a real college student. And I can tell this year, living on campus, will be my favorite year yet.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.