To the girl living in my dorm room next year,
I just wanted to tell you that I understand; moving into a dorm for the first time on your first day of college can be a little intimidating, but I want you to know that you were assigned an awesome room. When you first walk in, it won’t look like much. It will resemble all of those example photos you studied online for hours trying to decide where you’ll hang up all of your cute pictures and decorations, and you'll see how much closet space you’ll actually have. Although it looks bare right now, this little room will become your home for the next nine months, and little do you know that you’ll eventually learn to love it.
You don’t know it yet, but this room on the top floor has the best view out of everyone else in any other residence hall here on campus. At least that's what I think. Don’t be annoyed when every morning the sunrise creeps in through your window blinds and wakes you up before your alarm goes off. Get up and open those blinds and watch it for a little bit. Life’s too short to miss those beautiful skies and you’ll be amazed at what you see. Those car horns honking and people talking loudly down on the street below might get on your nerves at first, but you’ll learn to love watching the cars go by and seeing all of the hustle and bustle happening outside. The sunset is the best. It sets to the right of your window and paints the entire room a golden hue just about every night. Make sure you watch that too. When the weather is warm enough, open that window up and let the fresh air in. It’ll make your room feel more open, and when they mow the lawn across the street the smell of newly cut grass will fill the air.
Whether or not you have a roommate, you’ll have suitemates to share a bathroom with. Be very thankful that you have a bathroom just for the four of you to use. Community bathrooms are something you don’t want to experience – trust me. Your suitemates will probably be some of the coolest people you’ll meet throughout your first year here on campus. You’ll meet their friends, and the friends of their friends. Pretty soon people will be visiting both of your room’s just to hang out and do homework for a while, and you will get to know so many more people throughout your entire residence hall than you ever thought you would. Everyone living in this building is very friendly, so make sure to keep your door open so that new people can come in and say hello. Also don’t be afraid to stop by your neighbors rooms to introduce yourself, you won’t regret it!
The reason I’m writing this letter to you is because today I took the last picture off of the wall and packed up my last drawer of clothes into my duffle bag. I couldn’t help but get a little sad. The room was bare; exactly how I had found it on move-in day. It was like time had completely stood still, and I hadn’t lived here at all, but I had. I lived in this room through every amazing experience I had during my first year of college. I looked out the window one last time and I realized how much I appreciated all of those little things this room had to offer. Those things that took a special kind of heart to see, and I want you to see them too. I know it’s just a room, but it’s your home now. Take good care of it. Hopefully you’ll make the most out of it, just like I did.
Wishing you the best,
Amanda
