Here’s the scenario: 2 a.m., you’ve just finished studying your butt off for your exam at 8 a.m. You finally lay down to sleep for the four hours that you can get, when suddenly you hear 2 Chainz blaring in the room next to you. Your brain is already racing from the hours of studying you just completed, but now you have to try and fall asleep to the sound of pounding rap music serenading you into slumber land; probably not your ideal Monday night.
Being in dorms is actually pretty cool in hindsight. Your parents aren’t always nagging you to clean your room, you can decorate your space however you want, and of course, the best part, there is no set bedtime. But when everyone piles into their rooms and settles down for the first time, some people think of dorm life as a living hell. The beds are uncomfortable, your room is either too hot, or too cold, and some people just love to blare their music to all hours of the night, whether people like it or not. Surviving dorm life is a huge obstacle that all of us are going to have to overcome if we want to live in harmony.
First, there’s the privacy issue. Everyone knows when you’re going to take a shower, girls walk fast in their robes, hoping to avoid eye contact with the boys in the hallway. Guys, of course, walk around in just towels, letting everyone know that hey, it’s shower time! And we can’t forget that your roommate is going to be in the room with you most of the day. So no walking around naked like we used to at home. Because, let’s be honest, it happens more than we like to admit.
Then, there’s getting along with the people on your floor. As freshmen, we are encouraged to leave our doors open and let people come in and make small talk at all times during the day. But there is always going to be confrontation when you’re trying to nap and people just walk right into your room, or decide to have a party in the hallway when all you want to do is nap. My advice: earplugs. They’ve worked wonders for me so far.
The roommate situation can be tricky too. You’re shoved into a room with someone that you barely know, forced to live in peace and share your space for two very long semesters. You both come from different towns, different backgrounds, and have different opinions on everything. Even if you’re rooming with your best friend from home, real emotions come out when both of you have a class at 8 and you wake up late because someone forgot to set the alarm. Keeping an open mind is essential. If your roommate likes to meditate and listen to hippie music, join ’em. Try new things and be open to what your roommate has to say, because in the end, you are going to get attached to them one way or another. And maybe, in the end, you could find that your best friend is living with you, and then it’s like a sleepover every night of the week!