This coming Monday, January 22, I will be returning to NYU. Ever since starting college, this winter was the first time that I have left campus. It's been so long that I’m actually excited to return to school, for freedom and the city lifestyle. The journey back to campus, reminds me of my high school days and how I used to love/hate the car rides back to campus from Logan airport (with driver Brian!). Those moments were like returning home from home.

As someone who spent most of her teenage years in dorms, the life on campus means a lot to me. From Hallowell to Rubin, dorms at Milton Academy and NYU respectively, these are the differences I noticed in the on-campus life of high school and college students.

1. Mornings

In high school, everyone woke up at the same time. Whether we wanted or not, we were forced to wake up in order to attend mandatory morning assembly and sign in for the day. Yes, sometimes we did skip those meetings, but those were limited to two/three times a semester or you would get into trouble. On the other hand, in college, everyone has different schedules with various waking up times (and no mandatory morning assemblies).

So, you DON’T wake up your roommate, unless they ask you to wake them up (which I do... thanks, Alisha). Considering that college classes are big and spread out, being late (and skipping) has become super easy. I feel like challenging myself every morning, thinking I can reduce the time it takes me to get to class.

2. Intimacy

I knew everything about my high school roommates, both good and disgusting. In fact, I knew a lot about everyone, the 40 girls, in the dorm. I knew what sweaters they had (and how they matched with my jeans) and ate dinner with their parents from time to time. I would go to class, eat lunch, and do homework with them.

On the other hand, college roommates are different. I am lucky that I share mutual friends with one of my roommates, but the other one is rather distant. As college students, none of our schedules match up, so I don’t even see them that often. We rarely converse besides the casual hellos and goodbyes.

3. Nighttime

The biggest difference for me is the nighttime in the dorms.

In high school, I became close to my roommates because of the forced time together. We had to be in the dorm by 10pm on the weekdays with enforced bedtime and wifi shutting off. Even on the weekends, we had to check in my 11pm, unable to leave the building after that. As a result, I spent a lot of time with my roommate locked in our rooms (figuratively), trying to use what was around us to keep ourselves interested. Most times we resorted to Thai delivery and The Game of Life.

Nights in college dorms are empty. During the weekdays, students are in their rooms or studying in the common areas. On the weekends, no one is there until 3am. The nights I sleep in the room, my roommates are gone, and when they are home, I seem to be elsewhere. No lights off, no check-ins, just complete freedom and distance.

4. Outsiders

In high school, having someone over involved a serious set of rules. If our guests were people of the same sex, the process was simpler. You just had to notify a faculty that you were having guests over. But, if the guest was of the opposite sex, the process involved complicated twists. We had to leave the door open, place both feet on the ground, not go on the bed, amongst many other trivial guidelines. Obviously, sleeping over was NOT allowed under any circumstances.

Now, no one cares whether you bring any guests over as long as they are university students. Even if they are not, no questions are asked as you sign them in. Not even your roommate cares as long as you give her a heads up.

The first day of Welcome Week at NYU, I asked my RA what time I had to check in by. He was confused, I was confused, and we just laughed it off. Even so, I felt like I was doing something wrong, mischievous, as I stayed out way past midnight each night of Welcome Week. There was a thrill, excitement, and slight fear in the overdose of freedom.

Now, I’m reaching a point where staying out and not sleeping in my own bed-- rather my friend’s floor or Bobst study rooms-- is so natural. While that initial rush of independence has died out, I appreciate college dorms more because of my past experience in strict conditions.

Of course, I prefer the college dorm life and everything that comes with it. But, while my current lifestyle has a lot of perks, I sometimes miss the high school days of sneaking around and the excitement of teenage rebellion.