Almost...

Okay, this next post is to satisfy the easily disappointed critics. I wrote this paper for my writing class at U of M. The first half was crafted in a thirty-five minute time span between classes right before the rough draft was due- quite reminiscent of other stunts I've pulled in the past. It's called Home.

Living in a dormitory is quintessentially collegiate. Freedom from parental restriction, repulsive nearly artificial cafeteria food, and community showers are all part of the grimy college experience. I paid my dues. Dorm life was so difficult for me, but I persevered. The minutes passed by and by, drowned in the omnipresent hum of the air-conditioning wall unit. Faced with so much to do and an environment with no capacity to do it, I stared at the ceiling in disbelief. The arduous task of dorm life was the most taxing, everlasting experience ever. Then orientation was over. Two days in a dorm room were enough. I bought a condo.
In actuality it was my friend Chuck’s parents who paid for it, but I was certainly going to be living there. Faced with initial indecision when the offer was first submitted, my decision was finalized after the orientation mishap. My conversations about college were peppered with warnings about missing out on the dorm experience. Nevertheless the decision was made. One month into school, living in a condo has already paid generous dividends and is a highly recommendable alternative to a dormitory.
A condo away from the flippant rebellion of a dorm room is much more conducive to studying. Not only the quiet calm of a literal home, but also the general environment bolster the atmosphere. Studying at 70 Fahrenheit while sipping on Evian from the GE Profile refrigerator is simply more comfortable than craning your neck under your lofted bunk bed. The primary principle of college is education. The so-called dorm experience is everything pejorative to this finality. Admittedly, I will miss out on certain positives of the dorm such as meeting people and that phantom, enigmatic experience, but living in the condo promotes a much better atmosphere for the primary aspect of school- studying.
The overall cleanliness factor of the condo also far outweighs dorm room life. My daily routine is marked by zealous teeth brushing, hair washing, crevice cleansing, hand sanitizing hygiene. I would rather do so in my personal domain, not in an industrial sink cleaned every other Tuesday. At the dormitory, cafeteria dishes are carelessly tossed at workers. At least I carelessly wash them myself. Mom isn’t around anymore. So cleaning toilets and mopping the floor have become weekly routine. Perhaps easily overlooked, the condo actually promotes independence and self-sufficiency.
This independence translates to my new arena: the kitchen. Living in a condo rests the weight of cooking on my shoulders. While a meal plan is convenient and affordable, these cursory advantages are eclipsed when thoughtfully considered. You can’t put a price on health. The freshman fifteen isn’t reference to the number of credits you have. Cafeteria food is watered down fast food. Fried, battered, or greased- take your pick, because chances are that’s what is being served today. Living in the condo removes the comfort of walking to the cafeteria, and if this opportunity is properly utilized offers a great opportunity for health improvement. Cooking and cleaning do not loom over studies. In fact, they help with organization and balancing an already newfound busy schedule. Living in a condo grants true independent experience.
The innumerable warnings and criticisms about missing out on dorm life have rung empty. Understandably, going to college is a life-altering experience. Some students cope with instability and insecurity, while others thrive tremendously. Dorm experience universalizes the freshman condition. It is a common denominator, a rite of passage. College veterans never forget their first year in the dorms: where they met their new best friend or participated in endless shenanigans. This is the proverbial experience encompassing dorm room living. But these invaluable experiences are not exclusive to living in a dorm. Classrooms, football games, and weekend activities all provide enough opportunity for meeting friends. As a generality, dorm room living is a pitfall for the positive behaviors a condo exhibits. Academics as the cardinal concern are addressed much more easily in the private condo setting.
Living in a condo my freshman year has offered many unique experiences and avenues. Three weeks into the school year, positive aspects are already shining through the veil of doubt. The comfort of home, the independence of college, and the responsibility of both are all encompassed into condo life. Living in a condo is by no means an elitist measure or a vain attempt at the good life. It is simply an opportunity taken advantage of. My condo is a renowned library, a hot dance floor, a chic coffee spot, a sophisticated Manhattan loft, it’s more than quintessential, it’s home.