Sophomore year, where you’re not quite old enough to be an upper classman, but you no longer hold the title of the baby of the group that you did when you were a freshman.

In college, sophomore year is when you start to gain a sense of who you are, and it's when you can develop an independent identity that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. You also gain responsibility, and with responsibility comes the most dreaded word of all: adulting. Most of us had summer jobs, and are in the process of looking for one here at school. Many have moved to apartments, yet many of us, myself included, still live in the dorms.

So many sophomores hate on dorm living, saying space is cramped, and that having your own room is so much better than living in a tiny cube with another person. However, I honestly love living in the dorms, so go ahead and judge me all you want, but at least hear me out first on why I love living in the dorms as a sophomore.

First off, I get to live with my best friend each and every day. Now I know that not all roommate situations work out that way, trust me. My freshman year was riddled with bad roommates and fights, but those bad times led me to where I am now. I met my best friend, and I’m lucky enough to get to live with her 24/7 for nine months. Though our space may be a little cramped, we don’t mind. Living in the dorms has allowed me to build relationships with so many people, and make my friendships stronger because when you sleep two feet away from one another, it’s impossible to not know every little detail about someone.

Second, I have food made for me at the swipe of the card. Now I know that dorm food isn’t always that delicious, and that a home-cooked meal is ten times better, but it’s still food that fuels your body, and it really isn’t all that bad. There are so many options every day to choose from, so most likely, the food you’re craving is right there, just waiting for you. Another perk, Subway is literally an elevator ride away, and it’s open until 2 a.m. every night, so those midnight munchies can always be satisfied, even when they probably shouldn’t be.

Finally, I’m no more than a five-minute walk or elevator ride from all of my best friends. Half of them live on the same floor that I do, so it’s easy to walk over and knock on their door whenever I need something, whether it helps with my homework, a shoulder to cry on, or a snack because I ran out of all of mine. Having my best friends by my side is what makes me happiest, and knowing that they’re only a phone call away when I want someone to eat dinner with makes life so much more fun. If it wasn’t for the dorms, I never would have met these people in the first place, so why would I hate a place that brought me so much love and joy, and continues to bring it each and every day I live here.

So to all the sophomore dorm haters out there, your apartment may be nice, but don’t hate on my home that I live in. Yes, it may be 25 stories of tiny cubicle rooms, but those 25 floors are filled with my best friends, and there is no place I’d rather be. So to all the freshmen out there, don’t hate dorm life, and always be open to staying here an extra year, because I promise you, it will turn out so much better than you think.