It was my life for four years.
Unlike countless, I loved it.
After Freshman year, when many of my friends were leaving the dorms behind and moving into apartments, I opted to stay behind. I'm really glad I did. I quite enjoyed living and eating my meals with many as opposed to a few. Three meals a day, and I didn't have to worry about shopping or preparing any meals. I must admit, I passed on most breakfasts, but made lunch and dinner religiously. Waking 5 minutes before an early morning class and still getting there on time was an added perk. Good suitemates and lots of friends just down the hall were all benefits that I took into consideration when deciding about my living arrangements. Soundproofed cubicles down the hall in the lounge afforded me the 'get-a-way' I needed to get my work done. The Library was but five minutes across a field, easily maneuverable in inclement winter weather of western New York state. It became my friend away from my room. Yes, there were late night 'adventures' that I partook in, and many a daylight antic that found me involved. No, we won't be going into them here.
Sorry.
Some culprits are still alive.
Some too stupid to recall.
Some embarrassing.
Some still better left mysterious.
* photo (USM dorm in Gorham)
Those are modern compared to the dorm I lived in at FSU. It was built around 1910 and at the time I lived there, had not been updated. Loud clanging steam pipes and radiators for heat and worst of all no air conditioning! I loved every minute of it and am still best friends with my roommate from my freshman year. The old dorms have since been renovated and are very modern on the inside, but look the same on the outside.
ReplyDeleteIn my freshman dorm a number of us carried someone's VW bug up a flight of stairs and left it in a commons room. Its owner had some difficulty getting the car out of the dorm. I think we helped him in the end, but my memory isn't clear on that point. Ah, the stupidity of youth.
ReplyDeleteat least you lived it to the fullest.
ReplyDeletei've never lived in a dorm, but having a comfortable room, a place to sleep...roomies you get along with, meals fixed for you...and all things within walking distance sounds like a bunch of perks you can deal with no problem!
ReplyDeletethe other stuff...the late night adventures...aaaah, i have many of those which will forever remain nameless to many ears! :)
i've never lived in a dorm, but having a comfortable room, a place to sleep...roomies you get along with, meals fixed for you...and all things within walking distance sounds like a bunch of perks you can deal with no problem!
ReplyDeletethe other stuff...the late night adventures...aaaah, i have many of those which will forever remain nameless to many ears! :)
If you try hard can you remember any "panty raids"? The boys made one on my dorm at the U. of Michigan in the 1960s.
ReplyDeletehahaha Name the mischief... I WAS involved.
DeleteI never lived in a dorm but heard about all the antics going on and I often envied the people who did live in the dorms.
ReplyDeleteThat is a nice looking facility. I must admit they are building nice looking dorms these days.
ReplyDeleteI've never lived in dorms. Off campus was always the way to go.
ReplyDeleteYou've made compelling arguments in favor but I always lived off campus. The old, funky dorm itself may have had something to do with it...
ReplyDeleteNot sure I would've survived living in such tight quarters. I didn't have to worry about it, though. I just lived at home during college.
ReplyDeleteI know that, it was almost 8 years for me including the 'PhD'.
ReplyDeleteI stayed home when I went to college and loved it. I probably would have liked dorm life just because it would be easier than living in an apartment.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened in the USM dorms, stays in the USM dorms.
ReplyDeleteI liked dorm life at first, but being the introvert that I am, I found my way off campus rather early...College escapades, oh my, they can be embarrassing indeed when we recall them later on...Those dorms you show, not my favorite architecture in Portland! I understand about low budgets, still...
ReplyDeleteWhere did you go to school?
ReplyDelete