College is an exciting atmosphere and there is no better way to experience it than living on campus. Before I went to college, I heard rumors about dorms: roommates that stole your things, parties where guys spiked drinks and bathrooms that never worked. Upon arrival, I realized that Southern Miss was much different from the horror stories I had always heard.
Going from high school to college is a dramatic change (especially for a small-town girl like me). I loved being with a bunch of people going through the same experiences I was. I felt like I belonged in the dorms. My RA (Resident Assisstant) was wonderful and made me feel like I was accepted. Most of the people in my dorm were courteous, but there were a few I wanted to drop in a hole. I had trouble with one roommate, but I talked to people who had been through this before and gained more experience as a result.
My dorm was placed on the edge of campus, so I could usually get to most buildings with relative ease. The get-togethers and parties were fun, safe and worth remembering. The only problem occurred during rainy days when the sidewalks flooded. Overall, my dorm experience has been wonderful.
I am glad that my fears were not a reality. As far as I know, my roommates have not stolen any of my belongings. The only parties I went to did not have many boys and no spiked drinks. The parties I did not attend did not have any reports of spiked drinks or fights or anything of significance. The bathroom never had any major problems, besides a random event like a messed up water heater.
I know that some people let fears like these overwhelm them and they do not attend college as a result. I would encourage those people to get out of their comfort zone and try something new. It is easy once you realize that college is just one more step to the future. From a girl who nearly let fear overcome her desire to attend college, it is not as bad as some people might claim.