So if you're starting college and you are moving into your dorm...it can be a whirlwind of emotions, feelings, etc. It's definitely nothing like living at home: eating your mom's home cooked meals, snuggling with your dog, fighting with brothers/sisters. BUT, have no fear. Dorm life, in all its quirks, has it's benefits as long as you're willing to live the dorm life to its fullest!

1. LEAVE YOUR ROOM!

Yes, we know you might have a foam mattress topper on your bed with that fuzzy blanket you took from home. We know you might have some Takis or Ben & Jerry's ice cream in there. We know you might be on a Netflix roll! We know these things, but for the love of God, get out! Hang out in the common areas. Introduce yourself to EVERYONE. I found one of my good friends by yelling "HEY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" from across the room. It turned into an hour conversation that led to a real, solid friendship. Me jokingly yelling across the lounge ended up being one of the best decisions I made my freshman year! You will find some of your life long friends in your dorm building. Not to say all of your friends you meet in your dorm building will be your best friends, because a lot of them may not be! But it is so, SO important to get out and mingle. It's good practice for real life, and plus...who are you going to go to the dining hall with when those Ben & Jerry's containers are empty?

2. Stock up on REAL food.

Grocery shopping is such a hassle, but it is so completely worth it. The "freshman fifteen" is real. It is so difficult to find time to go to the gym, so it is important that you at least maintain an okay diet. If you're like me, who had a limited dining plan, sometimes I had to figure out a plan for dinner on my own. Soup, frozen dinners, bread & some lunch meat SAVED MY LIFE! It was such a good feeling when I didn't just eat chips and cookies for dinner. I highly recommend grocery shopping for real food, otherwise either your scale or your bank account will be very unhappy.

3. Make it feel like home.

Decorate. Put pictures up, hang lights, etc. It will never feel like home to you if it remains a plain, stuffy ol' dorm room. It came to a point last year where my dorm felt more like home than my home! Invest in decorations; you will use them in your apartment/house in the future! Also, all of your friends will want to hang out in your room because of how cozy it is.

4. Establish expectations and standards with your roommates from day one.

Even if you're rooming with your best friend, you NEED to have the awkward talk of what you're preferences and standards are. It is so important to avoid conflict by letting your roommate know if you are a morning person or a night owl, if you like the room freezing or not, if you mind having people in your room, etc. It helps a lot to have these things set in stone so that neither of you hold in anger and blow up at each other.

5. Don't expect luxury.

This is dorm life. It is far from luxury, but that's what makes it so much fun! The janky showers and the creaky desks are all apart of its charm. Embrace the quirks. If you're coming into it expecting to live at a five star hotel like Zach & Cody, you're in for a rude awakening.

Moral of the story, dorm life can be so fun. It means freedom! College is a whole new world, and dorming is definitely apart of the experience. It's only for one year, so have fun with it and take advantage! By the same token, don't worry...it's only for one year.