I'll admit, I've complained about the trek up five flights of stairs to get home every day more times than I can count. I've avoided going back to my room throughout the day so I don't have to climb the stairs, making the library my home instead.
Yet, I've used those same stairs as an excuse to never go to the gym. The "penthouse" views weren't too bad either.
Living in such a large dorm building was definitely overwhelming at first - so many people in such a contained space.
It really wasn't so bad though - I've gotten used to my next door neighbor's loud music at all hours (seriously, 7 AM this morning?), the communal bathrooms, and the constant fight for a free machine in the laundry room.
My dorm room has gotten to see me in all forms this year. From the stress of finals week and course registration, to the excitement of big/little week, it's seen it all.
I still remember the very first day I moved in. I've never moved my whole life, so I've only ever had one room to call home. Then, all of a sudden I stood in an 8x12 cell that is not only suddenly mine, but also belongs to another person as well.
Having a roommate has been an extremely new experience for me. The most experience I had ever had sharing a room was at summer camps or on family vacations. My room at home has always been my place to go to be alone.
Living with a roommate doesn't necessarily mean never having alone time either, something I didn't quite understand before coming to college. We have different schedules. Different friends. Different plans.
At the end of the day, it's nice to get a chance to reconvene and catch up, but that doesn't mean every second of the day is spent in one another's space. As I'll be an RA next year, I think I'll actually miss that part of the experience.
As the year's coming to an end, I'll admit that I'm actually sad to see it go, and I'll even miss my dorm room. Although I won't miss the stairs, the mice we found in our room (RIP Stuart Little), and some of the other negatives of the experience, I will miss my freshman year dorm experience because I know it will never be quite the same ever again.
