Being an only child is a wonderful thing. Even though it was sometimes lonely as a child, it has allowed me to have a great relationship with my parents and has also made me be an independent person throughout my entire life. I always knew that when I went to college, it would be a huge transition to have to live with someone else since I have never shared a room before. Luckily, my parents were willing to help me as much as possible with the transition and made it clear that I could always go home or call them whenever I needed to.
Move-in day was surreal. My parents and I arrived first so I got to pick which bed I wanted which put me at ease a lot. Setting up the space with all of my stuff also made the room feel a lot more like home. My roommate and I got along great and it was nice having someone to bond with over the first weekend of school.
As the days continued however, things got more challenging. Having two people living together who go to sleep and get up at different times each day means that I always have to be quiet every night and during most mornings while my roommate is in bed. Also, just getting dressed and changing my clothes is a complicated task since I do not have my own room at college. Dorm rooms are also extremely small so just moving around the room when both of us are getting ready to go out is more difficult than I expected. In addition, I value alone time a lot and it can be really hard to find that in college. I just appreciate and take advantage of the couple hours a week where I can just be alone in my dorm and enjoy the quietness. Coming home on some weekends is also extremely beneficial and allows me to relax.
I also came to realize quickly that my roommate does not have to be my best friend. A roommate is just someone that you have to live with and you should not go into college expecting to become best friends with your roommate simply because you are living together. When you live with someone, you get to know them quickly and the differences in their personality and lifestyle compared to yours become very apparent. You may find that your roommate just is not someone that you would normally want to be friends with or that they are someone who can easily become your best friend. Either one of those options is perfectly okay!
Although living with someone else aside from my parents has been challenging at times, it is teaching me a lot. The experience is beneficial for my life and it is teaching me a lot about myself. Living among other people also reaffirms my values and what I believe in but I am also learning so much from other people. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be living on campus among my friends and I look forward to what campus life will be like in the future!
