I am two weeks shy of moving out of my Southgate Campus Centre dorm and I am starting to reminisce upon all of the experiences and people within the dorm that have made my freshman year of college whole. Although everyone who lives in a dorm complains about trivial things, I've realized that everything that occurred in my dorm influenced who I am now.

I came into college relatively shy and intimidated by what would happen next and within my first week at FSU, my dorm started to feel like a second home. Opposite to my prior belief that everyone would stick to their own rooms, the friends that I have made would walk in and out of each other's rooms every day just to say "hi." The individuals in my dorm were kind, friendly, and outgoing, which rubbed off on me, molding me into a more extraverted person.

FSU's community of individuals are very diverse in multiple ways which is vastly different from the all-girl Catholic school I came from, replacing my naivety with maturity. There are many different people living in my dorm and I've had some interactions with a few sketchy personalities, which has taught me various lessons. Within the first month living in my dorm, I realized that adulthood is a dog-eat-dog world, and if you don't surround yourself with positive people, your whole being will alter negatively. The cynical recognition that not everyone has good intentions allowed me to stray from toxic individuals and find a positive and supportive friend group.

The first week I lived in my dorm, I instantly reconnected with my childhood best friend who lived four floors above me, the floor where I eventually met my entire friend group of strong, uplifting women. Being at my dorm gave me the security and centralization I didn't know I needed; with my boyfriend living on the same floor as me, and my friends only a staircase away.

My dorm gave me a home, friends, and a community of students who felt like family. I am excited for what next year holds but am very grateful for the experiences and moments that have influenced me as an individual.