Across the country, colleges with freshmen interest group programs are growing in number. In case you don’t know what these programs are, they are organizations of freshmen that live in segregated on-campus housing. Each group has a different theme. For example, my freshmen year, I lived on the Arts Floor. The residents on my floor all had arts related majors. Although I did not have a terrible experience by any means, I feel like I missed out on meeting people who are significantly different from me. Limiting the people who I lived with to only arts-oriented people caused me to miss out on meeting people with other majors and other interests. Adjusting to a dorm with residents unlike me for my sophomore year was also difficult due to my sheltered freshmen year living experience. Although this did not happen to me, in many cases, the residents on specified major floors not only live with one another, but share all of the same classes too. Though this may work for some, I personally advise against joining a Freshmen Interest Group if you are questioning whether or not you should. They really do more harm than good, and being labeled as "safe spaces" where incoming freshmen can be less afraid of the new experience that is college is not appropriate. If you are truly set on your decision or still think you might join one, read on and you may think differently. If you really want a "safe space", living with a freshmen interest group is not the way to get that.

First and foremost, the lack of diversity is an issue. It is the most problematic aspect of the freshmen interest group programs. When someone lives with people who are just like them, they are more likely than not to stick to what they know and not branch out and try new things. When an entire group of people living with each other are joined by shared interests, there is little room to learn about new cultures, new hobbies, and different people in general. Without a diverse group of interests among a floor of residents, students often become stuck in the mindset that they must stick to what they know.

These spaces in which students have limited exposure to a diverse group, are labeled as “safe”. These “safe spaces” are exactly the opposite of safe. To use housing to divide students into groups based on interest, and more recently, race, is segregation. A space where you are exposed to segregation is not safe. While I think it’s important for students to find common interests with others, and don’t think there is anything wrong with relating to others based on interests, culture, race, religion, gender identity, etc., I think segregated housing is the wrong way to go about doing it. What will students do once they experience a different living situation? Personally, adjusting to a different dorm during my sophomore year was incredibly difficult. The residents I live with now are not like the arts floor residents at all. They are loud, messy, and break the rules of residence life often. That was a shock for me, since I was used to strict policies enforced by the freshmen interest group RAs. I think I would have had a much easier time adjusting if I was not sheltered my freshmen year.

While a lack of diversity is a problem, the sameness among residents is almost as much of a problem. Living with similar residents can cause tension. Nothing is worse than having to share a living space with someone you don’t like. Similar personalities often tend to clash, and unhealthy competition can occur. It is entirely possible to make enemies on your floor. Almost as bad as living with an enemy is being in all the same classes with them. You have to listen to their voice and see their face every day. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. A space where you are exposed to bullying is not safe.

Since you don’t get to see new faces, even the people on your floor you don’t mind being around have the potential to bore you. If you are on the geology floor for example, and all everyone does is talk about rocks, you may become bored out of your mind. The activities that your RA plans may also be incredibly boring because they will likely involve something that everyone is familiar with. Although boredom is not exactly unsafe, it can still be harmful, in that it can lead to loss of interest in a subject that you once had passion for, if it is overemphasized.

In all seriousness, freshmen interest groups are incredibly similar to the episode of SpongeBob in which Squidward goes and lives with all of the other squids in an exclusive gated community. Like how the squids all have similar interests and/or come from a similar background, everyone in a freshmen interest group has similar interests and/or comes from a similar background. Living with an undiverse group like a freshmen interest group may even cause you to wish that you lived with those who are different from you, just as Squidward missed living next door to SpongeBob. In the end, Squidward regretted his decision to move and live among the other similar squids because it was monotonous and not fun. I truly believe that the writers of this episode were onto something: the ever famous cliché, "Variety is the spice of life." This cliché embodies the meaning of a safe space. A safe space is where you are happy, and it is likely that you will not be happy with the problems that come along with the freshmen interest group experience.