By Katie Huth I Intern
As a requirement for all first-year undergraduates with few exceptions, dorm living at Baylor University is a rite of passage most must overcome.
Those about to embark on this housing journey usually have a list of expectations for how their living situation will pan out. The truth for some undergraduates is that expectations do not always meet reality.
Stephen Hemsworth, a sophomore from Colleyville, resided in Martin Hall, one of Baylor’s two all-male dorms, during his first year at Baylor University. Hemsworth shared that Martin Hall felt like home, but not for the reasons one might assume.
“If you are there long enough, you don’t really have a choice,” Hemsworth said. “I suppose prison starts to feel like home to inmates.”
Hemsworth said his expectations for the dorm were exceeded, but not necessarily for good reason. He had set his expectations low prior to move-in in order to combat the shock of dorm life.
“I knew there was not much more space than what could fit a pencil sharpener and a photo of your German shepherd,” he said. “I don’t have a pet and I use Google Docs to take notes,” Hemsworth said, with relief in his voice.
While Hemsworth expected and was prepared for the tight quarters, what shocked him the most while living at Martin Hall was its reputation around campus.
“I did not know about it’s reputation, but I quickly learned and heard and saw and smelled,” he said.
Now a second-year student, Hemsworth lives off-campus at The View. He considers himself a Martin Hall survivor. His best advice to anyone living or moving into a dorm is to “bring a ten-foot long phone charger.”
Another student, Samantha Gonzales, a freshman from Temecula, California, resides in South Russell Residence Hall. Gonzales entered the dorm with few to no expectations, though she knew it would differ from her home where she had her own bedroom and bathroom.
“The adjustment was hard at first,” Gonzales said. “I had never been away from home before, but I took it as the next step of growing up.”
She said the reality that “no one is going to Swiffer the floor unless I do” has forced her into taking responsibility for her lifestyle.
Along with facing the reality of having to complete “big girl chores,” Gonzales did not expect her first week in the dorm to feel so temporary.
“It almost did not feel real,” she said. “The Welcome Week events were giving summer camp vibes because they were so on the go.”
Gonzales expressed shock with how much she has already grown as a person in her short time on campus.
“I have already gained a sense of maturity and independence in just three weeks,” she said. “I can only imagine how much more I have to grow.”
