Champagnat Hall. While some may know it as Marist's biggest freshmen residence hall, to me – it was just home. At nine stories high, it towers over the rest of the campus. It’s wide doors greeted me on move-in day and made me feel welcome, even in such an unfamiliar environment. I felt a sense of comfort when I walked back into the lobby after a weekend away and waited for the elevator up to my room. The lounge was always full of familiar faces and the study room became my own personal office. Even though I'm not there this year, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Champ and I’m sure everyone who lived there can say the same. Freshmen dorms may be small, crowded, and occasionally out of control, but it was definitely an interesting experience! If you spent your first year in Champ, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

1. You rejoiced when you got your housing assignment because champ was obviously your first choice.

It’s connected to the dining hall and the student center. What’s not to love? When the weather was warm and your dorm felt like a sauna, it was super easy to walk downstairs and sit in the air conditioned student center. And whenever you were craving food from the cab, it was always just a quick, indoors only, walk away.

2. You always made your friends from other dorms come to you.

Why would I walk outside when you can just come here-- the best place on campus? Truth is, most of the time Champ people were just lazy and, unfortunately, outnumbered everyone else.

3. You waited forever for the elevator. And when it came, it would be so full you had to wait again, so you probably ended up taking the stairs.

Also, you learned very quickly that the elevator beeps and goes straight to the ground floor when it is at maximum capacity. This was a good strategy for avoiding having to stop on every single floor.

4. You took pictures of the view out your window.

If you were on the back side, you could wake up every morning to the beautiful Hudson River. If you were on the other side, you had a lovely view of campus, so you were never too jealous.

5. You've gone to the dining hall in all sorts of odd attire.

Nike pros in the middle of January. Pajamas on a Saturday morning. You had no shame. You probably didn’t even look out the window before leaving your room, so how were you supposed to know what to wear?

6. You or someone you know has burnt popcorn.

Maybe you've even causes a fire drill because of it. There is always that person.

7. There were days when you didn't step foot outside once.

Whether it was a snow day, a Sunday, or just a day when you didn’t have class, if it wasn’t necessary that you leave, you probably didn’t.

8. You always knew what was going on around campus because you have to go through the Breezeway to swipe in.

Bake sales? Open mic nights? Movie showings? There was always stuff going on, and you were always in the loop. You didn't even need the activities calendar.

9. Knowing the security guards and cleaning staff better than most people in the school.

When you live with 450 people, it’s hard to get close to them all, but when you see the same woman in the bathroom every morning sweeping the stalls, you’re sure to form a bond. Making friends with security also has its perks. Even though things might not always go your way, being nice will probably get them to let you in when you forgot your swipe in your room.

10. You still have problems either spelling or saying Champagnat.

You know that Marist really drives home that it's important to know the proper name because it's named to honor Marcellin Champagnat, one of the original Marist Brothers, but still. It has always and will always be just Champ to you.

All the freshmen dorms have their own feel and being a part of the Champ community defined my freshmen year. While I wasn’t always happy to stand outside in the middle of the night for fire drills or climb eight flights of stairs almost daily, I have far more fond memories than bad ones. The best stories came from dorm life and now, I have fun laughing with friends and reminiscing over all the happy times in good old Champ.