I used to think that living in a dorm was one of the worst things in the world. Who wouldn’t? I mean, you have to wear shoes in the shower. Who would want to live in a place where you have to wear shoes in the shower? Not only does the bathroom situation suck, but you have to share a room the size of a prison cell with someone for nine months. Then there’s the rules, and the RAs, and the people who live on your floor that never seem to go anywhere besides the common area. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Yeah, I used to think that, and then I moved out of the dorm.
It’s just recently that I’ve realized that I miss living in a dorm, and I will probably feel this way for the rest of my life. You must think I’m crazy, especially if you’re currently toughing it out in a dorm, but let me explain. You will never get this time back again. You will probably never live with such a unique group of people again. You’ll probably never again be able to walk out your dorm and be surrounded by people in the common area again. You’ll probably never have to share such a small place with a person again (unless you go to prison). All these things aren’t something you should miss, but you will, because this is a once in a lifetime experience. I know the phrase “once in a lifetime experience” is normally used to describe something great like traveling to space, but trust me; living in a dorm is an experience you only experience once.
What I miss most about living in a dorm is the social aspect. I made some of my best friends in the dorm, and I met some of the most interesting people. I grew up in a small town, so I thought the people who lived in my dorm freshman year were some of the most unique people I’d ever met. They were they type of people you’d read about in books. Then sophomore year, I made friends with the kind of people I used to look down on. Sharing a space with different kinds of people made me see them differently, and allowed me to get to know them before I judged them. Since then, I haven’t been as quick to judge people, and that’s a valuable trait that I’ll carry throughout my life.
I was never lonely living in the dorm. I could always count on someone being in the common area or right next door or even down the hall. I craved the feeling of being lonely sometimes because everyone was always around and in my personal space. Now I wish I had people who were a few feet away when I need some company. Granted, there was some drama. It happens when you get a group of very different people together and make them live in tight quarters. Even so, we fought like family. We got on each other’s nerves and we fought over what to watch on TV. Now the only person I have to fight over the remote with is my dog.
Believe it or not, I miss having a roommate. To clarify, I still have a roommate, the same roommate in fact, but I miss sharing a room with her. We did fight over space sometimes, as most people do when there’s literally five feet separating your side of the room and theirs. Despite that, it was like we were sisters sharing a room at our parent’s house. Again, this is something I won’t get back. I’m thankful to have my own room now, believe me, but I do miss our little dorm-house we created with our little kitchen in the corner and living room the other corner.
If you’re in a dorm right now, my advice to you is don’t complain so much, and don’t count down the days until you’re gone. Take advantage while you can, and meet the people you’re living with. You never know who you’ll end up becoming friends with. Living in a dorm is a part of your college experience, and just like these next four years of your life, it’s something you won’t get back. Don’t rush time, and don’t waste it. Even if being in a dorm sucks and you’re about ready to pull your roommate’s hair out, don’t wish for time to pass quicker. You’ll look back one day and laugh at all the crap you endured in your little dorm room, and the nostalgia will hit you.
I wish I didn’t wish for my dorm days to pass so soon, and I wish I didn’t complain as much because honestly, those two years hold some of the best memories I’ll ever have.
Sources:
https://38.media.tumblr.com/2357b38100b49e899e9c38ebd509265f/tumblr_nmw4…
https://38.media.tumblr.com/21a73f20e1666efd72cf339e866e232c/tumblr_nl2t…
https://38.media.tumblr.com/aa9ede12ee9a7b38fe205df3d2b1b88a/tumblr_nohn…