I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: moving to college and into a dorm is all kinds of scary, but it really pays off in the long run because it’s fun, eye-opening and teaches you so much about life. And while there are bad points, (such as roommate horror stories, money problems and drunken mistakes) there are also so many good ones, (like the independence, the love life and the friends). With that said, here are the best parts of dorm life you should know.
You can meet some people in dorms that you really won’t like or get along with, but you can also meet some of your best friends in dorms and flatshares, I know I did. Take the opportunity of living with your besties as a good thing and an experience, as it probably won’t happen again or in quite the same way. In addition, the people you live with who maybe aren’t so great are all part of a learning experience, and you should embrace that!
Living alone (or under your own control at least) is so liberating and gives you the freedom that you’ve probably been dreaming of for a few years. Don’t go crazy, sure, but enjoy the experience and relish it as opposed to resenting it. You’ll also discover just how much your parents really mean to you when you move out and might find yourself calling them an awful lot more just because you miss them.
Drinking and going out all the time, having sex with any other consenting adult you want and cooking whatever, whenever. All this fun probably wouldn’t be so straightforward or acceptable if you were at home, so why not really enjoy that first taste of being able to have all the fun in the world. Don’t go crazy, sure, but relish in the ability to do what you want without pissing off the people who raised you.
I strongly believe that moving into a flatshare was when I learnt the most about myself: across years of life at home, you establish a routine and you have your set jobs within your family. You learn about yourself, what you do and don’t know and need to learn and how you operate when you get to live on your own terms and timetable. You might also become a pro in cleaning your clothes in the sink and how to stretch out your clothes to the last possible moment before doing laundry.
If you’re anything like me, when you moved out you were looking forward to taking a room and doing whatever you want with it in terms of decoration. I covered my room in photos, fairy lights and tastes of home while also using the opportunity to make my room far more adult than the childhood room of your home. It also makes you appreciate your home bedroom that little bit more because it’s different.
It’s terrifying having complete control of your finances and no back-up option there to fall back on. However, it’s also freeing to know that everything you do is on your terms and paid for by you. You’re not relying on anyone else for anything money-wise, and learning those skills now rather than later will be something you’re so thankful for in the long run.
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