If you’re a second year and you have had a bad experience living off residence and/or you loved residence so much that you came back for more, then this article is for you! I’m going to tell you all about my first week here in residence at the University of Windsor.
Decision for moving in
I have lived off campus twice: last year and last semester. Both times my roommates and I just weren’t able to get along. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t move in with someone until you know them so well that you trust that you’d be able to get through anything. I guess it just wasn’t meant for me, which is what led me to living in residence.
Applying
The nice thing about applying as a second year is that you already know you got into your program. If you’re still here, you’re safe. Also, there are second year and up floors available so you’ll have people around you that you can relate to, not just the freshmen (not that there’s anything wrong with them). After signing about 4 forms and handing them into Residence Services, all there was to do was wait.
Acceptance
I think I screamed out loud when I found out that I had been accepted. No more cooking, a smaller place to clean – I mean, I was in heaven. During the Christmas break, I planned out exactly how my room would look like, dreamed about the experience every night, and just couldn’t wait for that drive back to Windsor.
Move-In Day
I was so freaking nervous, not knowing what to expect. I mean, I’m a transfer student. So I have had a residence experience before. But it’s much different here: single rooms, paying for the meals yourself, different people, different environment. All very exciting but also VERY intimidating. My parents, boyfriend, and friend accompanied me as I moved all of my stuff in. Because it was Winter, there was no welcome party or parade. It was just like moving into an apartment.
After Being Here a Week
I’ve got to say: I love it here. I’ve made friends, had some delicious food (despite rumours), and still get to have my independence while being close to school and having a bit less responsibility. I know becoming an adult means more responsibility but it doesn’t mean it has to happen all at once (although, kudos to those of you that have embraced living on your own). My anxiety has gone down and it now feels like I have time to do things other than pay bills, do dishes, clean the house and walk 20 minutes to school.
The moral of the story is this: be happy. I can’t imagine going back to living off-campus but if that’s where you flourish, then keep at it! I just wanted to be able to share my experience and help out those who may be having trouble living completely on their own.