Dorm life is a strange thing, I’d say that’s a pretty accurate statement regardless of where you attend college. For me, I live in a building that may or may not be falling apart, and with a whole bunch of guys - only guys, because it’s a strictly men’s dorm. I’ve never had to share a room and the only other person living on my hall at home used to be my sister. Now I have a roommate and about thirty dudes on just my hall. It’s been quite the change for me, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love where I live, and even after just one year I’ve learned so much.

1. Don’t be Afraid. It’s a weird shift from home life to dorm life, everyone can agree. Being in an all-male dorm was a little intimidating for me at first because I was afraid I wasn’t going to meet the manly expectations the dorm could have. I didn’t know what the other guys in my all-male dorm were going to be like, or if I would get along with any of them. However, the fear and worry I had only clouded my view because I loved nearly everyone I met! And, I hope I’m safe to say this, nearly everyone I met loved me back. To feel that brotherly love, though, I had to let my fears go.

2. Be Yourself. During this year’s Super Bowl, everyone on my floor got together in the floor lounge to watch the game together. I hadn’t planned on going, actually, because the truth is that I don’t understand football at all and really don’t have an interest in the sport. I didn’t want to have to sit around fifteen other guys and pretend that I knew what I was cheering about. I went to the event though, and I put on a good face and was all prepared to play my part for the evening when I found a pleasant surprise: Most of the guys I was sitting with also had no idea about football and also didn’t really care. Once I let my guard down and just acted like myself, I had so much more fun and even made some more friends in the process.

3. Get out of Your Comfort Zone. This was a scary lesson to learn for me because I like to be comfortable. Without going into detail, I’ll just say that my dorm is infamous for its shenanigans. Most notably is when we get a whole bunch of guys from the dorm together, dress up in odd costumes, and go chant and cheer at our home soccer games. This kind of thing was never something I would have participated in prior to college because I was so worried about making a fool of myself. But once I put myself out there and did something goofy, I had a blast and didn’t regret a single second.

4. Love Your Roommate… I consider myself very #blessed that the system paired me with such a great roommate. Isaac and I have a lot of opposite characteristics, but we have a lot of the same interests than that helped us form a really tight bond over just a single semester. It took us no time at all before we were comfortable around each other, and now we’re both at the point where we can't imagine rooming with anyone else.

5. … But Don’t Let Them Hold You Back. It wasn’t all perfect, I should say. Isaac left to study abroad for our second semester and that left me alone. It was a struggle because he was my only real constant, but I became aware of the fact that he was really holding me back from being a part of my dorm community. Isaac is the kind of guy to stay in our room and not go to the fun events because that requires interacting with other people. There’s no shame in that - but that’s really not me. I would feel guilty going without him, though, so I usually ended up staying behind with him. Having the semester alone taught me that I need to appreciate him, but that I need to also live my own life and not worry so much about him.

6. Make Friends! Especially with the people in your dorm! I wish I had learned this lesson sooner because I really value the relationships I have with the other guys in my dorm. At the start of the fall semester, I kind of ignored the guys living around me, and I wish I had invested more time into befriending them. Two of the guys I really grew to respect and love were my RAs: They always treated me like a good friend and they really were the ones who helped me become a part of my dorm’s culture and community. If it weren’t for them, I don’t think I’d be writing this article about how much I love my dorm.

7. Cherish the Time You Have. Going into college and dorm life, I thought four years was going to be a long time. Now my first year is done and I already feel like time is flashing by me. I don’t want to waste a single second of my time in my dorm because it’s become just as much of a home to me as the house where I grew up all my life. I can already tell that my dorm and its culture is going to be a defining part of who I am and who I will become, and I want to fill every moment to the fullest with memories.