During the months leading up to my highly anticipated college move-in day, I found myself in a constant state of confusion as everyone I came into contact with shared their wisdom about this new journey I was about to embark on. Some people aggressively cautioned me about the inevitable change in my eating habits, while some reassured me that I would have no problem and that anyone who said I would was just being dramatic. Sharing a shower with the rest of my hall would either be a gruesome passageway to building some character or an ordinary step in my daily routine, just as it would have been at home. Everyone meant well and I honestly appreciated all of the insight. These lessons, though, only taught me one thing: I’d have to see for myself.

Dining Hall Food: Is it really that bad? 

Are we being too harsh on Gourmet Dining? I know, I know. Chicken fingers and french fries for dinner for the third night in a row can get discouraging. A glorious choice of a little bit-too-pink chicken breast with shredded broccoli scraps or an underwhelming plate of lettuce awaits you each time you head down to the dining hall. I usually just stick with the trustworthy cheeseburger with mayo and ketchup. A continuous cycle of the same four or five tried and true meals can leave you yearning for the familiar taste of your family’s Sunday dinner, I get it, trust me. Once you get past the lack of variety, is the food as repulsive as students make it out to be? 

“You just have to get the right things” rationalizes one of my friends who I often share meals with, also a freshman and also a rookie to college dining. I’m not saying my meals in Glassworks Dining Hall so far have been the best of my life. I am saying, though, that contrary to popular belief, not only is the food edible, but I would even venture to say enjoyable. The trick is finding what works for you. When taking into account the convenience of proximity, availability of universal classic comfort foods, and accessibility to allergen-friendly food stations, I resolve we are actually pretty lucky. Not to mention, the dining halls are all-you-can-eat with unlimited drink refills. The meal swipes make the entire process efficient and easy. I have come to what seems to be an unpopular conclusion: The dining hall experience is really not that bad. 

8:00 a.m. classes are better than 8:00 p.m. classes

There is nothing most of us dread more than the piercing and persistent noise of our alarm clock yelling at us early in the morning. A first day of class 6:45 wake-up call has slowly but surely morphed into a seasoned 7:15 snooze before finally trudging out of bed. The moment my eyes peel open, I definitely am not enjoying my reality of having a bright and early 8:00 a.m. class. By the time I make my way to class, however, the morning grogginess wears off and I’ve accepted my fate as I take my seat in my first class. 

After weeks of experiencing morning and night classes, I can confidently admit I’d take an 8:00 a.m. every time. Besides the freedom of not having to worry about classes after a certain time of the day, I enjoy the productivity that comes along with morning classes.

Morning classes force me to get my day started and help keep my momentum going, rather than sitting around and procrastinating until a night class. If I want to concentrate and do my best, morning classes force me to go to bed earlier the night before, reinforcing a positive sleep schedule and to put it simply: giving me a routine. Night classes offer us less structure during the day. Exhausted from the day’s prior activities, my brain grows irritable about halfway through a 5:00 double. Stomach grumbling and friends who are finished school for the day ready to swipe open GrubHub, night classes can also interrupt our eating schedule as well. I will gladly bear through the inconvenience of an annoying early alarm over a lack of structure, exhaustion during class, and missing out on dinners with friends any day. 

Living in communal-style dorms is better than living in a suite 

No one wants to be brushing their teeth when they notice that someone behind them is going number two. The squeaky waddle walk of shame back to your dorm in your bright pink robe and stark black shower shoes is an experience like no other. Having to leave your room and walk to the end of the hall for the nearest bathroom is not exactly ideal. The humbling yet universal morning routine in the row of sinks at first felt uncomfortable. Why are there no doors in the sink room? 

Although sharing utilities with others in your pod can sound discouraging, after experiencing it for myself, there are clear benefits to communal living. I may have to leave my room to shower and go to the bathroom, but I don’t have to worry about cleaning or fixing problems in my bathroom as I would if I were in a suite. I have not had a single experience since moving in where I had to wait for someone to be done before going about whatever it is I have to do. If for some reason these resources are occupied or broken, you simply move on to the next one down the hall. Surprisingly, communal-style living has even helped me meet new people. “The best thing about living communally, she says, is that there’s always someone around. The housemates feel like a family”, shares Matilda Welin in her BBC article addressing the nature surrounding communal living and the benefits associated. There is something beautiful about the opportunity for an instant mood boost by simply walking to your friend’s dorm and knocking on the door. I have begun to take an unexpected stance: The pros of living in a communal-style dorm might just outweigh the cons. 

Anyone residing on campus can attest that moving into a dorm is a huge transition. With this change arises controversy around the implementation of a new lifestyle. As we spend more time on campus and grow comfortable with the uncomfortable, we all form our own opinions. Whether you think you’d like to spring out of bed to get to class or wait around until nighttime is entirely up to you. We all perceive the path to transformation differently. After all, everyone has their own take.

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