There is nothing quite like living in a residence hall to keep you up until 5 a.m. writing a paper, consequently forever screwing up your sleep cycle.
Surrounded by my fellow procrastinators, we sit together, blurry eyed but wide awake, telling ourselves we are studying, but somehow never get any level of academic work done. I have discovered my golden time is between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., a two-hour window in which I am able to mildly concentrate on my schoolwork, provided I cut myself off from civilization completely.
For reasons like these, living in the dorms has to be the worst for studying potential, but the best for making friends.
Back in my home city of Sydney, some students either live in an apartment or house with a group of other students. The majority, however, still reside with their parents.
Our university is in the big city, the place where we grew up and, of course, the place where our parents still live. As most people will realize, living as a student is not exactly a wealthy existence. So, why not stay where there is a solid roof over your head, a reasonable commute to school and free food? All of this seems a decent tradeoff to still living with mom and dad.
Now 20 years old and halfway around the globe, this is the first time I am living away from home, and I am kicking it off by living in a dorm, specifically Elizabeth Waters Hall. Firstly, I am not used to living with a constantly accessible group of friends, and I am unsure of the effect it is having on me.
Do not get me wrong: I love being surrounded by friends. We eat dinner together, we hang out in each other’s rooms, we study together and, most of all, we tend to procrastinate together, usually with time-wasting, completely pointless (but very enjoyable) games. Average conversation tends to descend into discussions about time travel and obscene jokes, and oftentimes I end up with paper planes in my hair. Needless to say, it is not always a study-conducive environment.
I have also grown used to leaving my room a mere five minutes before the start of my class. Liz Waters must have the best location of any dorm on campus. Some mornings, when my class is literally next door, I leave only a minute before it starts. I do not even bother to change out of my slippers. Oh waking up to a nice view of Lake Mendota every morning is quite lovely, too.
The only downside to this dorm, however, is that no matter which direction I walk, chances are I will be scaling a hill. Climbing up Bascom at the end of a long day of classes is not the most ideal situation. But hey, someone did tell me the climb burns off half the calories of a single Cheeto, so I guess that kind of makes it worth it.
Despite the hard, uncomfortable bed, the radiators that burn on contact and eating a diet of predominantly microwavable food, I am quite enjoying myself at Liz Waters. I have learned the precise way to jump so that my Wiscard opens the door while still in my pocket, how to cook rice in the microwave, how to push the den’s armchairs together in such a way that they provide the most comfortable seating ever, and I have managed the maze of stairwells and hallways. It is very different from home, and I have come to value the lost comforts, but I have also come to love the little quirks of this new home.
Living in the dorms is not exactly fending for myself in the big wide world yet, but it’s getting there.
Tell Jessica what to check out in Madison at jessicakregan@gmail.com.
