You're beyond excited to move away from home, become best friends with your roomie and decorate your first dorm. You may have gone on five campus tours, but you still won't be prepared for living in a freshman dorm. Here are 16 truths about college living that you won't realize until you move in.
1. Trying to fit all your furniture and decor into your room will make you hate the back-to-college sections at stores
They make you think dorm living will be fun and adorable, so you bought four storage containers, a tapestry and an ottoman to put in a room that is hardly big enough for two twin XL beds.
2. Once you manage to make your room look somewhat cute, it will last for approximately one week
Let's be real—when you get ready in the morning, you throw everything on the floor.
3. Living with roommates isn't always a party
Sometimes it's a lot of fun, but when one of you has an 8 a.m. class, sharing a room is a struggle.
4. Sometimes your roommate will abruptly turn the light on when you're trying to sleep
It's not like you're that high maintenance, but it's 3 a.m. and you're trying to sleep.
5. But you also understand how difficult it is to pick out an outfit when your roommate is sleeping
I'll just pick out today's look in my pitch-black room. NBD.
6. Or put on your makeup
Mascara in the dark, anyone?
7. Not to mention the awkwardness when your roommate has someone stay the night without telling you
I'll just sleep on the floor outside and leave the books I need for class in our room then ????
8. It seems like you can hear EVERYTHING through the walls
People are having sex, moving their furniture, talking to their roommates or just plain coughing next door.
9. Eating the same cafeteria food every day will make you think instant noodles can be a quality meal
Your meal plan gets old real fast.
10. Sometimes you just want alone time, but you realize being alone is nearly impossible when you live in a dorm
The library is full, your roommates are in your room, and a bunch of people from your floor are in the lounge playing games and making food.
11. The community aspect of living in a dorm usually comes with some drama
You all live a little too close to each other and spend just a little too much time together. Dormcest is a thing, guys.
12. Some people in your dorm might be a little clingy
If you don't go to your floor meeting or a hall event, people in your dorm building will confront you about it.
13. And it seems like too many people know your business
Do you have lives?
14. Every time you want to do your laundry, every single machine in your building is full
Seriously, do these people do laundry ALL THE TIME?
15. A surprising number of freshmen don't seem to know how to make microwave popcorn
And you have to go outside in the middle of the winter, wearing nothing but a towel, because the fire alarm went off while you were in the shower. It happens.
16. But whether you love it or tolerate it, dorm life adds some great stories to your college experience
At least it's interesting…