I remember when I decided to attend Virginia Commonwealth University, I begged my parents to allow me to live in a dorm. I only live about 20 minutes outside Richmond, and I wanted a true college experience. Little did I know a year later I would be sitting in my tiny dorm room awake at 3 a.m. because my floor mates think it’s okay to blast their music during quiet hours. Even though I’m thankful my parents let me live in a dorm my first year to get that full college experience, I’m about to lose my mind in my dorm any day now.
When I began the housing application, I had everything planned out. I had a roommate, and I picked the newest dorm to live in for my preference so I thought everything was looking up for me. However, when I actually got my housing report I ended up getting a random roommate and didn’t end up living in the building I put as my number one choice. Even though I was extremely annoyed from this, I still was looking forward to dorm life and all the experiences I would have. However, I can’t say I’m exactly loving the experiences I’m getting.
I think I should start off my rant with the obvious, community bathrooms. I definitely was not looking forward to community bathrooms when I first moved in for college, but I never imagined people could be as gross as they are. I never knew that I would miss showering without shower shoes until I went home for the first time and nearly cried when I showered in my own space. Everyone who lives on my floor is about 18 years old. There is no reason for there to be boogers all over the bathroom stall, hair all over the shower drains and leftover food in the sink. I really don’t understand why people on my floor think it’s okay to leave a mess all over the bathroom for the custodial staff to clean later. Have some decency.
Also, I never knew how hollow the walls would be between dorm rooms until I was woken up at midnight from my floor mates blasting their music. Sometimes I feel like no fun when I get angry over stuff like that but when it’s a Wednesday night and I’m trying to get some sleep before I take a test in the morning the last thing I want to hear is “No Air” by Jordin Sparks. I just think it’s so inconsiderate when people don’t obey by quiet hours as if other people don’t live in this building.
I always imagined that I would go into college and become best friends with my roommates and suitemates and I got the complete opposite. Honestly, every day I wake up and have to take a deep breath that next year I will living in my own apartment with my best friends and have to ignore the fact that my “perfect” dorm life experience turned into the complete opposite. Some days I feel a bit bitter that I never got to have the perfect dorm life experience that I feel like everyone else had and wish I were closer with the people I live with. However, when I use the community restroom and find pee all over the toilet I reevaluate my life and just go on with my day.