When I first arrived on campus and moved into my new suite, my suitemates and I didn't know each other, but we were all so compatible. We just clicked. We quickly became a family. We hung out in our common room, had late night conversations, did each other's hair, lamented about our classes, and just spent so much time together.
We met up for meals, planned outings together, and had a very active group chat. It was amazing. It was all I imagined college being. I never expected it, but I was glad I got to experience it for my first year.
My second year was similar. We lost some to other buildings but gained the addition of an amazing suite of boys across the hall that meshed well with us. There were always friends around, functioning as company and support.
We went to the beach together, celebrated birthdays, and had sleepovers. Alas, my third year was not to be the same. It was the first time I wasn't close to my suitemates, and my roommate was a virtual stranger despite sharing the same space.
The friend group dispersed across campus, and I did not follow for one reason or the other. Suddenly, the meetups and hangouts weren't happening. The group chat grew quieter and we ate separately.
In my suite, we can go days without speaking with each other. No good mornings, no "how are you," no deep talks. Everyone has their own life outside of the suite, their own concerns and people that weren't contained in our rooms.
I suppose it is an introduction to how adult life will be where you most likely won't be living with your friends. It will be harder to see them. You will be forging out on your own, but it is lonely. The suite looks empty and cold. There's less life, no personality. The common room is only filled when one member is holding a study group or when we are just sitting there, doing our own things. It's not the merging pot where we all come together and exist in each other's presences, just being there.
I have to say I miss how it used to be, and I find myself more restrained to my room or seeking out company and activities across campus, being away from my suite for hours because there is nothing waiting there for me, not to miss or miss out on.
We are all expanding our horizons, but for some, we are also pushing each other away.
