A dorm room changed my life. It sounds crazy, I know. The infamous brick, nondescript college dorm rooms don’t necessarily get the best reputation. However, my sophomore year dorm room proved to be monumental and formative.
I will never forget the move-in day of my sophomore year. Me and my new roommate Delainey would be living in Devereux Hall, the oldest and most iconic dorm building on campus. The Ivy League feel of the building drew me in from the start. Delainey and I became friends last year after having several shared classes and clubs. We impulsively decided to live together after both of our living situations fell through. It was the best decision I have ever made.
Our names were printed next to Devereux, or Dev for short, in room 131. After I was handed my key, my parents and I emptied our cars and walked up to my room on the first floor. I was not prepared to open the door. Upon entering, our dorm room that was listed as a standard double room was in fact two separate bedrooms with a door in between that could be closed or opened at any time.
I immediately thought it was a mistake. We did not request a special room, nor did we know they existed at all. We would later learn that Devereux Hall, which houses nearly 300 students, only had two of these unique rooms in the entire building.
I like to think our room, Dev 131, mirrored the relationship of me and Delainey. We could be together whenever we wanted. We could stay up until 4 in the morning debriefing our crazy adventures. We could lay in bed together watching reality TV and laughing until our sides hurt. Similarly, we could close our door and live out our distinctive lifestyles. Delainey could be the night owl she is while I crashed before 11 p.m. On her side, you could hear indie punk music, while on my side you would hear Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs as we got ready. Our room layout fortified our friendship by allowing us to live together while keeping the integrity of privacy and alone time in place.
What makes this room even more special is that we know who will be living it in next year. Some of our favorite freshmen, whom we met through Her Campus, will be calling Dev 131 home next semester. Me and Delainey joke that we are passing the baton to Meghan and Jess. It’s now their turn to make priceless memories in the room that changed my life and created a bond between me and my best friend that will last a lifetime. I swear there’s some magic in that room.
To Meghan and Jess,
I hope Dev 131 brings you a year of love, laughter, and moments you will remember for the rest of your life. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better power duo to call it home next year. I hope next year is your best year yet. I can’t wait to see how you’ll make your room home!
Love, Katie :)