You’ll hate it when we live there, and the moment you leave you’ll miss it forever. Dorm life is something that all first years should appreciate. It’s always a rocky start, but there are so many aspects of college in your freshman year that cause you to love those four white walls.
The Dining Hall You’ll hate it after about the first two months of school, it gets repetitive and bland. But Mrs. B sure does know how to make a shitty day better. And slightly runny omelets sure beat spending 60-80$ every two weeks at the grocery store and THEN having to actually cook things for yourself. Don’t get sick of Easy Mac this year because it’s definitely going to be your best friend for the next 4+ years of your college life.
The Convenience Binge watching Netflix, snacking, and PJs are the three main constants of dorm life. Not that it changes much when you move out, but it definitely is so much easier. The fridge, the bed and the TV are so close in proximity, physical activity is almost unnecessary (Which is probably why the freshman 15 is so real); until your fridge is empty and your snack drawer runs dry of Oreos and peanut butter. Aside from epic laziness, the dorms location is so close to both downtown an the football stadium. Be thankful to walk everywhere, because once you leave you’ll have to set aside a weekend budget just for Uber.
Having All Your Friends in One Place This is a big one. Definitely something I miss after moving to the grid. The community in the dorms is so easy, there are always people going somewhere, always people to sit and talk with or go to the library, or drive you to the grocery store. Once you leave it’s a lot harder to get in contact with people you don’t live with because your schedules are no longer intertwined. Your halls in the dorms are more like neighborhoods. And there are always new friends to be made.
Meeting New People Freshman year is always about meeting new friends and expanding your social life. Moving to a new place is intimidating and that’s why dorm life is so amazing. You are forced into a situation where you are constantly surrounded by people and making friends is almost effortless, especially with your neighbors.
The Never Ending Closet Along with making new friends, comes the concept of sharing clothes. Easily the best thing about living with so many girls at one time, there are endless options for your weekend outfit. Once you’re done and out of the dorms, you slowly feel like you’re wearing the same 5 dresses every time you go out. Looking cute was never a challenge, especially those of you living in Greene…you’ve got an 11 story closet right at your finger tips.
Sleeping in Again with the dorm location; buses, 20 minute walks, and expensive on-campus parking passes are in your future. Sulk in that extra ten minutes where you lay in bed and stare at the ceiling trying to convince yourself it’s time to put pants on. The days where leaving the house exactly 6 minutes before class starts are numbered… So are those naps you’ve managed to squeeze in your schedule.
No Bills Ugh…adulting. The inevitable and constant battle of money and lack there of. Bills on bills on bills surrounding in both houses and apartments. Even if you aren’t the one paying for it, you still get stressed out just receiving them in the mail and seeing the numbers on the bottom of the paper. And for those on a really tight budget, things like blasting the AC on hot summer days and long showers become a luxury.
Your Personal Bubble Depending on your view, testing your temper by pushing the boundaries of personal space could be viewed as a negative outcome of dorm life. But in the end it makes just appreciate your me time. The importance of it in your life is greater than you realize, and those weekends where your roommate decides to make a trip home, are going to be a lot more relaxing than you might expect. Those four white walls actually can get smaller, and the presence of another person can sometimes push you over the edge. Me time is a much needed thing in college and the boundaries of dorm life just show you how important it is.