As I got closer to moving in day at UCSB, I was extremely worried about living in a tiny room with three people. I had chosen to have one roommate and ended up with a third roommate who I knew nothing about. There was so much room for something to go wrong.
We got to our room with all my stuff, and I thought to myself, “there’s no way we’re all going to fit in this tiny room.”
Our room in Santa Catalina North Hall felt like a closet. I had no idea how the three of us and all of our clothes and belongings were going to fit.
But alas, we figured it out, as every group of triple roommates does. We divided the room into sections and divided up the two closets, and somehow everything ended up fitting. The craziest part of my three roommate’s living situation wasn’t the fact that we all fit, it was the fact that it changed all of our perspectives.
Dorm living in general makes you minimize what you have. You have to cut down your closet, your trinkets, and anything that’s going to take up space. But living in a tiny little box also makes you realize how little you actually need. Some clothes, a mini fridge, and some things to keep yourself clean are about all you need to live a happy life. I left everything behind at home, and although our room is still crowded, it has nowhere near as much stuff as my room at home.
Another big thing I realized is how little I stay in my room. Because it’s so small, it’s mostly just a place for sleeping and relaxing. Any other activities like homework or eating can be done somewhere else. I feel like I’m barely in my room, which is really the opposite of how I felt at home. It’s a great feeling to get up and go somewhere every day, and when you have two roommates and a super small room, it’s what you have to do. Living with other people in such a small area has really helped me get out and do more, whether I really want to leave the dorm or not. I go on more walks, study more, and explore now that I have roommates.
Another thing I learned, believe it or not, is that sharing is caring. As selfish as it sounds, I don’t love to share. I don’t want people touching my stuff or eating my food. But when living in a tiny room with three people, almost everything has to be shared, and that’s ok. The less stuff we buy, the more we share, but also the more of a positive impact we are making on the environment by doing so.
In general, while living in a dorm you’re surrounded by a ton of people that are your age and doing the exact same thing as you, so you tend to build relationships like never before. This was also an aspect of dorm living and having roommates; I became so close with people in such a short amount of time. Everyone is nervous about making new friends, especially in college, but no one talks about how it can actually be easier to find your people because you’re constantly surrounded by other students.
Living in a dorm is actually proven to help students do better academically, and I honestly think that makes a lot of sense. I’m forced to leave the room and go to the library or go study just because I need time away from the small space. I’ve separated my room from my study space, which means nearly every time I leave my room, I’ll end up studying and I’ll end up doing better than if I lived in a space alone.
Living with three people in a dorm, although it can be annoying at times, has made me live a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life, and it’s an experience that all students should have. Living with roommates might seem like a downside of dorm living to some, but for me, it’s been an eye-opening and life-changing experience.