Before I started my freshman year, I had all the hopes in the world that I would be picked to live in one of the "nice" dorms. I was absolutely against the idea of sharing a bathroom, I was terrified of living without central air, and most of all, I was worried that my room would be dirty and unattractive. I had been brainwashed by Pinterest, and I had so many unrealistic expectations of dorm life. When I received the email notifying me that I was placed in the oldest residence hall on campus, I was more than annoyed. I thought, "Oh, great. This year will be the worst."

I could not have been more wrong.

Sure, the idea of sharing a single bathroom with 62 other girls made me cringe, the select few hot days at the end of a Midwestern summer were rough, and the fact that my desk had graffiti on the bottom of it from the 1960s was less than ideal. Common living areas looked like jail cells, and the dark paneling throughout the place would have turned the stomach of any HGTV designer. I lived in the least glamorous building on campus, hands down. However, I found a home in my freshman dorm. When looking back on my first year as a college student, I don't think about the way the building looked. Instead, I remember all of the strong friendships that were formed inside of those paneled walls.

At orientation, everyone tells you to live by the open-door policy and to introduce yourself often. As a people-person, this was second nature to me. My roommate and I enjoyed peeking our heads into other girls' rooms, introducing ourselves and sharing our interests. By the end of the first week, I had already formed a small "family" with all of the people I had met. Our nights were filled with deep conversations, personal experiences, trips to get pizza and cookies, and fun social events. We had dinner together most nights, we convinced one another to eat that chocolate brownie for dessert, and we took fitness classes together. By the middle of the year, we knew everything about each other. We would walk over to each others' rooms unannounced, just to talk about the attractive guy we saw on the bus. We would shower at the same time just so we could sing and listen to music together. We even did all of our homework together, even though we were all studying something different. These friends I had made were the best part of my freshman year, and I had found a support system that respected me and encouraged me to be outstanding.

By the end of my first year, I was so upset leaving that building that I so deeply dreaded just eight months earlier. The memories I made in that building are still irreplaceable. Even through my sophomore year, I kept these friends close. I was, and still am, blessed to have made friendships that are constant, while the rest of my life changes so quickly.

So, to all of you recent high school graduates who plan on living in the residence halls, remember this: while it may be nice to have luxury amenities in a living space, these perks will only be microscopic in your memory in comparison to the relationships you will make. Reach out of your comfort zone, make random conversations with people you meet in the elevator, and don't be afraid to get involved. I found my soulmates in my freshman year friendships, and chances are, you will too.