I was talking to my parents the other night about dorm life. They believe that "dorm life" is a waste of money. While I do agree with them that it is expensive to live on campus, there is so much about living on campus that is important. While I don't think that it is mandatory, I feel as though young adults should be given the opportunity to live on their campus. Here are five important things that I have learned through living in a dorm that I feel have been beneficial to my personal growth.

1. You meet people that are nothing like you.When living in a dorm you will meet all kinds of people. You won't like everyone. Some people will leave their doors open and yell 24 hours a day. Others will barley talk to anyone and just stay out of the way. You learn to be respectful of other people’s space and gain an understanding of what type of person you are.

2. Making your own decisions can be hard.Your mom can no longer check to make sure you've completed all your homework before going out. You don't have a bedtime anymore. You can eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Making decisions for yourself can be tough for the first few weeks, but then you have to learn what your priorities are.

3. You will create lifetime friendships that will be better than some of your old friendships.I have made some of the best friends though living in a dorm. I was able to get myself out there and meet some of the best people in my life.

4. The "Freshman 15" is real.In high school you are constantly staying active and you might not realize how much lazier you get from being in college until you go home for winter break. You can just make Easy Mac in your room on a snowy day instead of walking to the cafeteria.

5. Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone.Just like every freshman, I was nervous the first night I moved into my dorm. I knew that my life was going to change dramatically in the next nine months. I started doing different things that I had never done in high school, which changed my life forever. Be ready for adventure. Living in a dorm can really change your view on the world.