A Place Called Home

A month ago I would awake and fall asleep to a quiet house. If I wanted to watch television, I had one in my room. If I had to use the microwave, there was no wait. If I was studying, no one bothered me. This has all changed upon moving to Berea College. Living in a dorm has brought me back to my childhood when I was taught to share. I had to share my toys and games. I even had to share my sixty- four pack crayons with the built in sharpener. Needless to say, I did not share willfully.

Now I am older and again have to share since, in a dorm, there is no “mine”. There are about ninety students living here all sharing a house. A floor shares a kitchen and bathroom. As one can assume in a girl’s dorm, the bathroom can get crowded in the morning. At night one can hear doors closing throughout the halls. Finally after class, when sitting down to study one may hear singing from the next room over. It is a lot to handle when one is used to peace and quiet.

Living in a dorm is a big cultural change, though not all is bad. The atmosphere is friendly and there is always a person to talk to. While there are wishes for privacy, I can see friendships forming and in all the crazy mess that may occur, there are memories. The resident hall of Anna Smith is now home to many where we can begin the new chapter of our lives.