In a few days, I will have to say a lot of goodbyes. One of these will be to my freshman year dorm room. And while I doubt I will shed any tears saying goodbye to such a tiny room, I will miss all the memories that were made and the lessons learned within those four cinder block walls. Here are 7 big lessons I've learned from living in a tiny room:
1.Less is definitely more
Somehow, all that money you pay in tuition grants you a jail cell sized room to live in for nine months. And it comes with roommates! Living in a dorm has made me realize that you truly can live on less items. Before this year, I would have never thought three girls could successfully share two closets. Yet, here I sit as living proof!
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2. A clean room is a happy room
Remember in high school when your mom would nag you to clean your room? Well, she’s not here anymore to make sure you’re not living in a cluster bomb of clothing and textbooks. When your room is clean and organized, your life feels clean and organized. And if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed? Just make your bed. I swear the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it is magical.
3. Sharing a bathroom with 30 other girls never gets better
As a female who has had to use a communal bathroom for 9 months, I have three words for you: hair, hair, and hair. In the words of our dorm’s cleaning lady, “Aw, hell no!”
4. Being able to walk two feet to hang out with friends is awesome
Boredom is nonexistent when you live in a dorm. One hallway offers you seemingly unending opportunities for entertainment hidden behind each door. Some of my best memories from this year have come while brushing my teeth and chatting about life with my dorm neighbors.
5. You learn a lot about yourself by living with roommates
Remember Hannah Montana’s famous song, “Nobody’s Perfect?” Well, never have truer words have been sung, especially when living with roommates. No roommate is perfect, and from this, I have learned a lot about my level of patience and my compromising skills. Also, I have realized that I am guilty of doing some weird things too. Having roomies has made me a better person and strengthened my character.
6. It’s bittersweet when you subconsciously call your dorm “home”
When I first called my dorm “home”, an immediate sense of guilt washed over me. I felt as if I was cheating on my house. Yet as the year has progressed, I have reconciled myself to the fact that I have two homes now that both hold special places in my heart.
7. Despite it all, a small part of you will miss your “dorm sweet dorm”
Somehow, someway, my dorm has wormed itself into my heart. Living in such tight quarters was a drag at times, but having friends just a door away was a definite perk. Dorm life is part of the traditional college experience, and I am grateful that I was able to share in it!
