GDI. Geed. Pronounced "jeed." Referring to students living in the residence halls, it means "God Damn Independent," and is often used as a derogatory jab by more superficial Greek students (and dorm kids with a sense of humor). Although I never fit the "Geed" stereotype (I didn't play video games, wear Crocs, or steal cookies from the cafeteria, thank God), I did live in the dorms for a year before some of my friends recruited me into their sorority. Greek life and dorm life (and I'm assuming apartment life, I haven't been there yet) all have their pros and cons, but I feel like the dorms get a bad rap. They really shouldn't, because the times I spent as a GDI were some of the best of my life. The dorms can be a blast, and here are some of the things I learned from them:
1. RAs can let their "power" go to their heads
Sometimes they're immensely chill. But usually they think they're special because they have their own bathroom and are quick to write down noise infractions. These kind of RAs suck, and are people you should avoid like the plague.
2. DORM KIDS GO HARD
This was very surprising to me, but I'm not lying. From my experience, some of them go even harder than Greeks, because it's easier to sneak and keep illegal substances in their rooms. I actually made a lot of Greek connections because they would (gasp) go to the dorms to turn up.
3. On the other hand, some dorm kids do not go hard.
In fact, they never leave their rooms. I don't know if they are just antisocial or love Netflix and Chilling by themselves, but there are some kids you don't see after orientation (if they even show up to that).
4. Privacy is a privilege, not a right.
I never knew how wonderful it is to have a room to yourself until I went Greek and moved into a house of 70 girls. In the dorms, it's common to have only one roommate or even a room to yourself, which is spectacular. You can do homework, have "dates" over, take naps, and hell, even cry, in peace, which is something I took for granted.
5. The dorms are very cliquey
At least mine were. There were little groups that only hung out with each other and avoided eye contact with the others (I'll admit that I was guilty of this). There were kids in my building of 80 residents that I saw every day and never talked to.
6. Cafeteria breakfast is the best thing in the world
Picture this: you were out until 4 doing God knows what, sleep in until 11, and have an unlimited layout of omelets, biscuits and gravy, waffles, chocolate milk, and fruit and it's already paid for. Sure it's all pretty sub-par, but does it really matter?
7. People take video games way too seriously
Who saw this one coming? But everyone, your jocks, your geeks, your off-campus frat boys, your stoners, your antisocials, your girls even, love their video games. All day HALO, Super Smash Bros., Slenderman, and GTA parties probably happened in three rooms per floor, five times a week.
8. As much as you want to be best friends with your roommates, it probably won't happen
Unless you get immensely lucky, you're probably not going to find your maid of honor/best man in the randomly-assigned bed next to yours. You'll end up hating each others' quirks, and will probably have some differences to say the least. If you still Snapchat after the year is over, you had a better relationship with your roommate than a lot of people.
9. You will hear your friends/roommates/neighbors having sex, and it's awful
To knock on the door or no to knock on the door? That is the horrible, awkward question.
10. Having ice cream available 24/7 is also a privilege that should be taken advantage of
There was like a week where I only ate raspberry sorbet from the cafeteria, and I have absolutely no regrets.
11. People take decorating their rooms very seriously
It's like your own personal shrine. (My actual dorm room FYI)
12. People have things with other building residents all the time
Friends go from friends with sexual tension to something more, pretty quickly, when everyone lives 50 feet from one another. They probably got together purely for convenience's sake, but I know many relationships that were born in the dorms and (maybe) died there as well.
13. GDIs are less involved on campus, but (from my experience) they don't really care
When I lived in the dorms, I did a lot less "school-affiliated" stuff. I saw that Greek students were more involved on campus and in activities like homecoming, but I made my choice to be a "God Damn Independent" for a reason. I had a lot less commitments back then, and it was kind of really nice.
14. Having dates over is way easier when you actually have a TV or a door to shut
Back to the privacy thing: one great thing about the dorm life is the ability to Netflix and Chill in the comfort of your own home. You can be the Jon Hamm of this situation in the dorms, if you want to.
15. Getting into non-dorm parties is waaaay easier than you would think
If you're a girl. If you're a guy it's a different story, but as long as you know someone at the party, or are good at making up someone you know on the spot (go with generic names), you're golden. I went to Greek parties almost as much as a non-Greek as I do now.
16. You will make friends for life
Living in the dorms allows an intimacy that other living situations do not. There's not a lot to do, so you have to be creative with how you hang out, and you hang out with the same people all the time. Although I no longer live across the hall from last year's friends, I still care about them more than anyone. We still hang out, make plans, and chill (although not for five hours a day like last year, sadly). They know all my secrets, they have all my embarrassing pictures, they've seen me at my worst, and they've seen me at my best. I love them and will cherish them forever.
Although I no longer choose to live in the dorms, being a GDI was pretty cool. I came away from them with some crazy stories, a love for twinkle lights, and the best friend's I've ever had. I'm on to different things now, but I wouldn't change my nine months in the dorms for the world.
