Opinion: The Ups and Downs of Dorm Life
By Morgayne Mulkern
Comment Staff
Since I transferred to Bridgewater State University in the middle of last year, I was lucky to get housing. I live in a single with my guide dog Kally and a lot of very nice people, including my best friend, live on the floor with me.
I like that there is always someone to chat with and there for me in my dorm, however, dorm life is not my favorite. As much as I love it, I miss having space to spread out. I do not like being confined to a small room and neither does Kally.
I don’t like having to share a floor and bathroom with a whole floor of girls, some of whom I don’t even know. I really look forward to getting an apartment hopefully by senior year. That way, I can have the companionship of roommates without having to live in a box. I will be able to cook and not have to have my meals chosen for me by limited vegetarian options in a dining hall. Kally will be able to run around and we will actually have space to play fetch. I will have the luxury of my own space, shared with only by me and the people I like. I will be able to have people over and we can all sit on couches in the living room or at a dining room table. I will no longer have to offer someone my desk chair while everyone else has to crowd on my bed. My friends and I will be able to stay up as late as I want without having to worry about quiet hours or disrupting other students. I will only have to answer to myself, not an RA.
Dorm life really makes me feel like I am little all over again at summer camp, sharing space with all kinds of different people (some of which I like and some of which I don’t) and having an RA as a sort of counselor. As fun as this can be at times, now that I am older, I like being independent. I want to share space with only my friends and the people I choose to live with. Dorm life can just be a bit stifling at times.
Two of my close friends, Kelly Burgess and Tyla McDonough are roommates who ended up becoming best friends. They live in my dorm and they both really enjoy life as resident students.
“I love living in a dorm compared to at home,” Burgess said. “Living in a dorm gives me the opportunity to really have a college experience.” Tyla agrees with Kelly and points out that if she commuted she does not think she would have made as many friends.
I think the words of Tyla and Kelly reflect many students feelings here at Bridgewater State University. Living in a dorm provides students with a chance to find close friends and start on the road to independence. Having so many other students around you can provide different perspectives and create friendships with people you might never have had before.
Although for some such as myself the dorm life can be a bit stifling in some ways, it is still a good transition step between living at home with parents to moving off on your own into the real world. I am so happy to be living with so many friends nearby, and it is a good feeling to know that if I ever need anything all I need to do is go knock on their door.
This story was edited by Kate Wallace. Kaitlyn Wallace is the Comment’s Editor-In-Chief. Follow her on Twitter at @2ndisthebest or email her at k2wallace@student.bridgew.edu.
