As soon as you've made the decision about where you're going to continue your college education, or you've picked somewhere because they won't let you go to high school anymore, you have to make another important decision: where you're going to live. West Virginia University used to require all first-year freshman students to live in a dorm. But with the expansion of on-campus apartments, they are now getting rid of that requirement. My advice to the incoming freshmen is don't live in an apartment, you should definitely live in a dorm.
Living in a dorm has many benefits, especially if you are a first year student. When you are a freshman, all of your classes, depending on your major, are probably a ten-minute walk away. If you cannot walk, then there is more than likely a bus-stop within walking distance.
Freshmen either live on Evansdale or Downtown. Either way, you are close to two of the most fun places to be: Milan Puskar Stadium or High Street. Definitely, take advantage of your close proximity to these areas. Waking up to see crowds of people in blue and gold is almost as great as waking up on Christmas morning.
Roommates. If you are like me, you've probably never had to share a room before. Maybe you are worried about cohabiting with another human being. That's okay. While your roommate may be random, they may end up being your best friend. If they are your best friend, then living in the dorm just got a whole lot better. Say hello to sharing closets, family size bags of Fritos, and deodorant. If not, it's still great practice being considerate and courteous to others, and at least there will be someone you can come home to and tell about the awkward encounter you had with the weird kid at the end of the hall that plays their saxophone in the lounge.
Another major benefit: food. There is either a dining hall in your building or in the building next to it. Living on your own can be rough. A lot of us only come to college with basic cooking knowledge, and can only make a handful of meals like cereal, Toaster Strudel, microwave popcorn, oh and Lunchables. I'm not saying there won't ever be a time where you have to succumb to the Ramen noodle lifestyle. But I'm guessing your parents were worried their little angels wouldn't get enough to eat at college. This is where meal plans come in clutch. If you have older friends, you can also try trading them meal swipes for rides if you don't bring a car, which you don't really need.
Plus, the dining halls are the perfect place to meet for breakfast when you want to converse about last night's shenanigans or need to pause in your hangover efforts to refuel on electrolytes and Fruit Loops.
Laundry. It is so convenient living in the same building with a washer and dryer. Don't get me wrong, some apartments come with this luxury, but others, like the one I live in now, do not. It becomes very hard to locate enough spare quarters to get the job done and I still wish I could just swipe my student ID. Now, I just let my laundry pile ups for months until I know I am going home for the weekend or am forced to go commando. Adulting can be hard.
But the absolute, best benefit of living in the dorm is the opportunity it provides you with to meet people. There are so many great individuals waiting to be met in your dorm. Those new faces with their diverse southern West Virginian, Jersey, and New York accents could just become the members of an elite squad known as the seventh floor who you will routinely take on the town with. The person across the hall that you borrowed a stapler from could be your new ride-or-die.
People, unless they are just jerks, are usually nice to new people. When you first come to college, no one has it all figured out. I met my best friend from freshman year in our orientation class, on the first day, and the next day we walked to a class we had together Chemistry 115. Although I still shudder when I think about that class and ALEKS, I laugh when I think of how easy it was for us to talk to each other and the embarrassing escapades we would go on together in the months that would follow.
You will become best friends with the people in your hall. I did, and I still talk to the people I became friends with from my dorm every single day. When you live in the dorm, there is always someone that will help you out: whether you need to borrow a hair straightener, find someone to go to Bent Wednesday with you, compare answers with on the most confusing study guide a professor could come up with, go to the nacho bar at the dining hall with, or order food with you to meet that delivery minimum. Curse the delivery minimum for not respecting the waistlines of single, hungry individuals.
I promise that when you are packing up your freshman year at the end of finals week in the spring, saying goodbye to all of your friends for the summer, and taking one last look into your empty dorm room and blanketless bed: tears will fall. f you aren't the crying type, you will feel a pang in your chest cavity, whether or not there is a heart there. We all wish we had another chance to do freshman year all over again, and we wouldn't change a thing.
