The end of the college semester is approaching, and the first thing that comes to mind when I think about my freshman year coming to end, is, oddly, packing up my stuff and moving out of the dorms. Yes, I will miss my friends, and the classes, and the environment, but packing up and moving on always seems to hit home with me.
Here are six reasons why packing up and moving out of your college dorm, specifically, is both the best and worst thing that will ever happen to you.
1. Pro: You Get Away from the Dining Halls
As a measly little incoming freshman, whenever people would complain about the dining halls, I would give them an eye roll. Dining halls are awesome, and we should take advantage of them! Little did I know that the slow gradual hatred would develop, and now that the semester is ending, there is nothing I would rather be doing than not having to shuffle around carrying 6 different plates, looking for an open table and realizing that you may never find one.
2. Pro: You no longer have to live according to Dorm Rules
Yes, I know the struggle. Your furniture has to be in a certain alignment, otherwise, you will get fined. Winter break check-ins always gave me anxiety, even though I knew I had nothing bad in my room. I will no longer have to wait until the mandated 'Quiet Hours' to yell to the people in the lounge right outside my door to BE QUIET!!! (I assumed people had manners, but apparently, they don't.)
3. Con: Missing out on those neighbor friendships
The greatest part of living in the dorm, for me, was having so many friends just a floor above me or down the hall that I could go to at any point in time and say hello. Although this may not be so different if you move into an apartment or a house with your friends, the feeling of living in a large building with so many people that are similar to you gives you a source of comfort.
4. Pro: You no longer have to deal with getting locked out
One thing that always irritated me was that every door had a lock on it. Every single passage or hallway I would walk across would be another swipe on my M-card. Getting locked out, which happened to me many times (once with no shoes on), is a hassle that neither the RA on duty nor you have the time or energy to deal with.
5. And finally, roommates
It's either a hit or miss. This can be either a positive or negative; you either will miss them forever or you want nothing more than to run as far away from them as possible. Sharing a room with someone can really bring out the best or worst in people.
Personally, I'm just excited to have my own space, and where I'm living next year has a laundry service. Enough said.
