There are a few lows when it comes to living in a dorm: the constant sickness, the trek to the community bathrooms, the fire drills that erupt from someone burning popcorn, that horrible feeling in the middle of the night when you have to pee but you don't want to climb down from your lofted bed, and a few others. However, as the year comes to an end I cannot help but think about how much I will miss the dorm life next year, because, despite its flaws, the highs still outweigh the lows. Here are a few examples of the things I will miss the most.
1. Having 900 friends at your doorstep.
While you may not know every single person in your building, you have definitely become familiar with a few of them. Whether you want someone to eat dinner with, go out with, run errands with, or anything really you can just walk down the hall or a few floors up and someone will always be there. Also, there is always a futon you can crash on, just in case.
2. The convenience.
Whether the night is taking you to the streets of downtown, the fraternity houses of Milledge Avenue, the MLC for a study session, or a dining hall for a late night snack -- the dorms are always walking distance. Although your apartment next year will most likely be much nicer, you will probably find yourself missing the convenient location of your dorm.
3. Not having to clean a bathroom.
Enough said. Although it's a trade-off, I would much rather walk 20 feet to the bathroom than have to be the one in charge of cleaning it.
4. Parking.
This is especially prevalent on a Saturday in Athens. Assuming you have a parking pass, there is always a place to put your car without worrying about it getting towed or ticketed. Plus, once you park your car you only have a short walk down to the stadium (how convenient)!
5. Being a freshman.
If we are being honest, most of the nostalgia about moving on from the dorm life is coming from freshmen year ending. It came and went in the blink of an eye like the greatest roller coaster you have ever ridden. This week, finals will come and go and, bittersweetly, I will move out of my dorm that I have grown to love and have come up with countless nicknames for and made tons of memories in.
The first chapter of our college experience is coming to an end, but the next one is just beginning!
