Oh, just look at you! You're about to be a freshman in college. You are filled to the brim with excitement, anticipation, nerves, questions, and anxiety. Well, congratulations, you are finally going to be part of the "college scene," which means you have made it out of high school. Maybe you have spent all summer pinning a variety of "dorm hacks" or "dorm decors" on Pinterest. Or, you're already on the next level and have a spare room in your house that is home to a bundle of Bed Bath And Beyond products (that you probably think you need). I am here to remind you eager ones to slow down when scrolling through "dorm goals" pictures on Google Images. I am here to give you a taste of the gritty side of dorm life -- the side that you would probably rather not think about. Even though creating a tiny home for yourself will be a lot of fun when you arrive on campus, there are a few reality checks you need to consider before you move in.
1. It's going to be unfamiliar.
You've slept in your own bed for over a decade now, and you've spent nearly every single day in the same house, surrounded by the same faces, the same pets. Your dorm room is a whole new territory, and it's going to feel so unnatural for the first few weeks of school. Not to mention that there is another sleeping, breathing, living, human being in the same room as you. It's like learning how to function in a cubicle, when you've had free range of a house for your entire life. I can't count how many mornings and nights when I woke up thinking, where am I?
2. People are going to be around all of the time.
If you're an introvert like myself, I wish you the best of luck! That being said, even some extroverts I know had a hard time with this, "people" thing. It is best to have an open-door policy the first week to make some friends, but this does allow ultimate access to your fellow college peers. Even after my roommate and I decided that we liked it better with the door closed, people still managed to show up everywhere. They will knock on your door anytime of day, and on some occasions, during the night as well. Just try not to be rude to them, because you don't want to be alone all year.
3. The temperature won't be comfortable.
The first night of my college career, the windows were open as wide as they possibly could go, the fan was on full blast, there were no blankets to be found, and I was still sweating half of my body weight off. I can remember my roommate and I yelling how we could not take this heat, and we would never get any sleep. Those summer nights are cruel, so make sure you have a huge and powerful cooling device ready. In contrast, when winter hit, the heat was so sporadic. Half the time, I felt like I had a fever, and the other half, I thought I would be warmer outside in the snow. I knew I wasn't crazy when I walked into my room to find a maintenance crew fixing our heater.
4. Communal bathrooms are awkward and gross.
In the comfort of your own home, I assume that you walk to the bathroom without a parade of people looking you up and down. I've had to walk through kissing couples, guys lying on the floor, herds of drunk girls, and just about anything else to get to the bathroom at night. My favorite part is when the person in the stall next to you seems to be recovering from an insane hangover. Brushing your teeth next to someone produces this awkward energy, and not everyone agrees with your playlist for your shower. Please don't throw all your trash in the bathroom, it multiples. I've seen towers of pizza boxes. Just be prepared to not make eye contact with anyone, pick a clean stall, and you'll survive.
5. Food smells.
Easy Mac seems convenient, that Campbell's soup you have stored under your bed might be the last thing you have that qualifies as a meal, or you might choose to make Ramen again (god bless you). However, I must warn you -- all of this food will smell up your tiny little house pretty quickly. When you nuke something in the microwave, it will become a spirit in your room and the smell will haunt you. This also goes for non-microwavable snacks. For example, I love peanut butter, and I love popcorn. Yet, I realized my room was starting to encompass both scents, and your roommate and guests definitely won't thank you.
6. Dust and dirt show up quickly.
Before you invest in that cute little bed caddy that you will never use, invest in a Swifter. You are bound to drag in dirt from walking around the campus all day, and dust bunnies pay student loans too! You will find these little things hanging around under your bed, and behind your desk. If you see a dust bunny, do not just kick it aside (not that I have done this)! Instead, run to your closet and get some Clorox and your Swifter while you still can see the difference between the dirt and the floor.
7. You will overeat in your room.
At this point, you're probably boasting how you will avoid the Freshmen 15, and how you will make healthy eating choices in college! That sounds like a great idea! Sure, I avoided it as well -- but I was victim to a little bit of it. Do you know why? Because you are going to eat when you are stressed, when you are bored, when you are procrastinating, when you are relaxing -- pretty much every part of your regular day. You have an endless supply of snacks in your room, meant to take you through most of the semester. You will not last that long. At some point, you will break and binge, because they do not have Tostitos lime chips in the dining hall.
8. Academic focus is hard to achieve.
Every dorm room comes with a desk, meant to help you accomplish wonderful essays, study for those finals, and make little notes in your planner. Yet, that desk is surrounded by many other things, most prominently -- people. People love to distract you, and even when they say that they will be quiet, it's hard to concentrate with social stimulation. The temptation to watch Netflix with your squad will be too great, the snacks on your shelf will be calling your name, and your next door neighbors are going to be blasting some Fetty Wap. Do yourself a favor, go to the library.
9. You'll have to share and sacrifice.
It's not all about you anymore. You are going to live with another person; it's kind of like being married. Marriage comes with sharing and sacrifice. If you two don't watch the same shows on Wednesday night, chances are you might not be getting the television every single week. Your roommate may want someone to come over one night, when you just wanted to lie on your bed with no makeup on and stare at the ceiling. They might ask to borrow something, they might ask to sample one of the new snacks you bought, or they might want to listen to a song that you absolutely hate. Regardless of these painful shares and sacrifices, trust me, you have to make it work (if you're lucky like I was, it will).
10. It won't be boring, it will be wild.
If there is one thing that I am 100 percent sure about, your freshmen year spent in your dorm will not be boring in the slightest. It is going to be kind of insane -- even if you're not part of the insanity. Get ready for catty girls yelling at each other, intoxicated people stumbling down the hallway in their Halloween costumes, communal bathrooms that look practically toxic, watching over friends who have partied too much, rain ruining your TV set, and much more! Okay, some of those things sound more entertaining than others -- but it's all equally wild.
So, go ahead, string little lights above your bed. Buy a little trash can that matches your color theme. Clip a dozen little pictures of your family and friends to a string above your desk. I encourage you to go all-out achieving your dorm goals. Don't say I didn't warn you of the unpleasant parts (which you should appreciate in all of their glory).
