I spent my first year of college accomodating to sharing a living space with one other person, similar to many other freshmen.
Going from having my own room at home to sharing a room was definitely an adjustment, but it was extremely worthwhile!
Last year, I learned that having a roommate is all about effective communication and compromising.
Moreover, sharing a room with someone is about respecting one another’s space.
Luckily for me, my freshman year roommate also doubled as my best friend and sorority sister!
Fast forward one year later, and my living situation is pretty much the same; I have the same roommate and we live in a double room.
However, there is one main difference: we live in a sorority house!
This means the hallway that surrounds me is filled with 19 of my sorority sisters, along with 20 more girls on the floor below mine.
Living in a sorority house is a similar set up to my dorm from last year: double rooms surround me and I have communal bathrooms.
However, everyone who surrounds me is my close friends!
This past summer, I could not wait to move into my sorority’s house.
I came to the house every weekday for both lunch and dinner the previous year and found myself staying at the house for hours on end.
My friends and I always called our sorority house a “trap” because once we walked in we couldn’t seem to get ourselves to leave.
Within a week of living in the house, I had realized that this transition was not as easy as I had expected.
I seemed to have almost none of my own personal space or time.
Concentrating on school work and setting a consistent sleep schedule were immediately a challenge.
Moreover, my sorority house is far from campus compared to my dorm from the previous year.
Like any obstacle I’ve experienced so far at UF, I took a step back and learned to adjust.
Although living in my sorority house is a challenge, I could not be more thankful for this experience.
Whether I need a good laugh or a shoulder to cry on, I have 39 different friends who are just down the hallway.
I always have someone to eat with, study with, play a game with, talk to or relate to.
Everyone is always there for each other and giving one another advice.
This experience has been unique and like no other, and my room has become a revolving door.
A variety of people are constantly walking in and out of my room to hang out with or just to ask a simple question.
My favorite part about living in my sorority house is that I know I am never alone.
It’s hard to feel lonely or upset when there is always someone nearby.
Moreover, there is always something fun or entertaining going on in the kitchen or living room.
I feel comfortable popping my head in any room in the house, and I now have access to 39 other closets!
If you are a part of Greek life and have a chance to live in your house, I would highly recommend doing so.
I have gotten close with a wide variety of new people and have felt much more involved in my sorority and am so thankful to have shared my year so far with my 39 other roommates.