Dorm sweet dorm

As a freshman, I have approximately three months left of dorm life.

I encourage the students of IU to rethink leaving the dorms so swiftly and start taking advantage of this special experience that only comes around once in a lifetime.

I came into the experience a bit uneasy after hearing horror stories of nasty roommates with even nastier tendencies.Luckily, I have experienced no such roommate.

I will miss my fellow floormates very much when we turn in our keys the start of May. The bathrooms haven’t been bad, the halls haven’t been loud and the space will always be small. So, I’ve just gotten used to it.

I have grown very fond of my little home in Foster Quad Harper.

If it hadn’t decided to join a sorority, I would definitely consider doing dorm life again.
That said, I’m surprised that the culture of IU typically limits dorm life to freshmen
.
Thirty years ago, this was hardly the case. Most students who didn’t participate in greek life chose to stay in the dorms multiple years and, on occasion, even all four years.

My dad lived in Willkie Quad every year of college by choice.

Although these were times when off-campus living wasn’t quite as common, it wasn’t unnatural at all to annually return to the same neighborhood, sometimes even the same dorm. I can see why that was the case.

The community the dorm provides is a special experience. It will be very hard to leave behind.

I have daily conversations with our floor janitor, and we exchanged Christmas gifts. I chat about IU basketball with our building’s maintenance man and check up on a cafeteria worker’s carpal tunnel syndrome on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

I know who on the floor can effectively tutor me in A200, who has the best food, the cutest clothes and who is always willing to watch a movie.

It’s the time in your life to be awkwardly living with too many people, too closely, in a too-small environment. It’s part of the amazing experience that is college.

The dorms have prime locations on campus, includes staff that clean your bathrooms daily and cook moderately decent food for you.

It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Although I occasionally miss having my own space and definitely would never choose communal bathrooms if I had the option, I think the dorms are written off too quickly by the general student population.

There is way more to appreciate.

­— cnmcelwa@indiana.edu
Follow columnist  Claire McElwain @clairemc_IDS.