As this semester comes to a close, many students are saying goodbye to their first dorm. While it seems like everyone was ready to leave, you can never forget your time in your dorm. Not only was this most likely the place of their first taste of independence, but it was also a sanctuary where ideas and bonds could flourish. For me, Morrill Hall will forever hold some of my fondest memories of me with my friends.

At the beginning of the year, I was doubtful that I would make any friends right off the bat or that I would become best friends with anyone I met. However, one or two days of living at UT, I met someone that I consider my closest friend, and it happened entirely by chance. Alaina Staggs, one of the other creators on the UTK Odyssey, marched right up to my roommate and me in her UT orange Chacos and said, “Hey! You look like nice people. Can I sit with you?” This question quickly snowballed into her becoming my best friend.

Alaina soon brought other close friends into my life, and we became friends with a girl on my floor named Jade. Many movies nights and lunch dates followed, and sometimes the sleepovers lasted for weeks instead of a night. Most of the time, my room contained more of my things than hers did.

However, sometimes friendships can get messy. For example, the handful of times Alaina spilled some form of dark liquid on my white sheets or the times shoes and cars got dirty because the trail was filled with mud. Those “dark” times were easily scrubbed away in the laundry room (when they weren’t jam packed). We also baked cookies in the basement kitchen while waiting on laundry.

No matter how messy things got, my friends pushed me to do new things. Jade persuaded me to attend shows with her that I had never gone to before, and Alaina pushed me to be (really) active on the campus. Suddenly, my dorm became the headquarters of article writing, club officer meetings, and post-gym meals.

As you finish packing your bags and lock your dorm door for the last time, remember why that room was more than a room. What made it special or made it your home away from home? If you were as fortunate as me, your friends decorated it with their presence. No backpack could ever contain the amount of fun or wisdom shared in that dorm.