My college dorm was an old cabin. It was one of the older buildings on campus with creaky stairs and worn-out paint on the walls. It had its own unique smell, and I can’t even get started on the bathroom stalls. The dorm had two floors and there was no way all of my pillows were going to fit on the rock-hard twin XL bed. On move-in day, I felt like I was going to summer camp. I had assumed it was going to be a dreadful year, but little did I know it would be the place where I would make some of my best memories, and that it would be the place that I loved and now miss.
I live in an apartment now. And you’re probably wondering — why does she miss her dorm so much? Well, let me tell you why.
1. The convenience of being a 2-minute bike ride from class.
Living on campus was definitely something that came in handy. As someone who now lives a 15-minute drive away, it was easier to roll out of bed to get to my 8 am class since I lived so close to the buildings. Also, it allowed me to go back to my dorm so I could take my power nap in between classes, and let me tell you that it was my favorite part of the day! I loved being so close to home while also being able to access the study lounge, library, etc, whenever I wanted to. It was the perfect setup!
2. I made a lot of memories in my dorm room.
From doing handstands with my roommate to collapsing onto the floor after eating the beyond burgers at the dining commons to getting ready in front of the tiny mirror to having long movie marathons — all of those experiences were truly some of the best moments in my life. I still remember the first week of school, when my now best friends came over the day we met, and how we ended up having a conversation about our lives while we spun around in the twisty chairs. My dorm was my place of comfort. Every Friday night, my friends would all come over and collapse all over the room while we sat and ate food. These were truly memorable experiences.
3. The girl in the shower stall next to me always played music.
I don’t know if it was a coincidence but every time I went to shower, the girl in the stall next to me would blast her music. The playlist was so good. From old pop to the latest hits, she had some good taste in music, and let me tell you that made my shower experiences pretty nostalgic.
4. I met my best friends who lived across the hall from me.
On the first day of college, I met two girls in the dining commons. We started talking and soon after realized that we lived in the same dorm, right across from each other. Now they are my bestest friends, and we do everything humanly possible together.
Most people say that they have a bad dorm experience, but I am so beyond grateful for the experiences I had in that room, the convenience of it, and most importantly the lifelong friends that I made. My dorm was my place of comfort.