I am a freshman at FSU and have been living in a dorm for 6 months and after signing an apartment lease and touring my new living arrangements for next year, I have come to realize how drastic the change is from living in a dorm to an apartment. Although I am thankful for the friendships I made and the fun I have already had, there are a few things I will not miss about the dorm lifestyle.
Sharing a small space.
Being in a dorm means sharing a small room, having to share a bathroom to get ready in, and being as quiet as possible when coming back late at night. Having differing schedules means that some days my alarm will go off at 7 in the morning, which wakes my poor roommate, then having to use my phone's flashlight to find my outfit and get dressed. Although I have built a great friendship with my roommate, I am looking forward to having my own room next year to come back to without disrupting my roommate's schedule.
Laundry.
My dorm only has three washers and dryers at the end of the hall which means having clean clothes entails competition. Getting laundry done at a decent time during the day means having your basket of clothes ready immediately after someone's clothes are finished because someone else will have already called dibs. When I finally find an open dryer at 2 in the morning, I have to set an alarm and be on watch because being one minute late to claim my clothes will result in finding a fraction of them stolen and the rest is thrown on top of the dryers.
Quiet hours.
I am not the host of pre-games or parties but occasionally I will play some music in my dorm room only to get a knock from my floors RA three minutes later asking me to shut it down. The walls in my dorm are very thin and it is easy to hear my neighbors conversations so the privacy of not only an apartment but my own bedroom is something I am looking forward to.
Sharing a small bathroom.
Two girls getting ready every day with one bathroom is a difficult task to master. Having to take quick showers and do my makeup at my desk was challenging to adapt to coming from having my own bedroom with an attached bathroom. Having a small shower that often leaks onto the bathroom floor is also another downside to dorm life and having my own bathtub next year will be less stressful.
Having a dresser as a closet.
Most of the clothes that fit into a walk-in closet for my whole life had to be forcefully stuffed into a tiny dresser and plastic bins. Most of the things I own are stuffed under my bed or desk which makes it difficult for me to find items I need. Moving into an apartment with a decent closet will create an uncluttered lifestyle and a much neater way of life.