Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
The most anxious and anticipated time for newly graduated high schoolers is thinking about what their life will be like in the months after starting college. Many students have never lived outside of their homes, let alone shared a room with a person they met through Instagram from across the country or outside of the U.S.
Pepperdine first-year housing tries to implement a sense of community by having eight students in one suite. This might be an intense push for individuals who have never lived with this many people, and it has both positive and negative effects.
I think community-style living like these first-year suites makes room for new connections and friendships to flourish. Since first-year students primarily move in without knowing their entire suite, this experience can also introduce them to potentially new long-term friends.
Being away from one’s normal routine of seeing loved ones every day, eating homemade meals and sleeping in one’s own bed can be difficult to transition from. However, living in the first-year suites, I believe, is like meeting a new type of family.
The first-year group of suitemates who can be seen eating at the Caf together, walking down to main campus together and studying together is a result of the suite-style housing Pepperdine offers.
In my experience the first-year suites can also be incredibly helpful to international students who may be struggling with culture shock and homesickness. Leaving home looks different for everyone, but having people who are living through a similar situation of change can help ease the high school to college transition.
My first year of college was an emotional rollercoaster because of new stresses, difficulties adjusting to a new environment and, most importantly, finding a group of friends who offer support.
First-year students are starting their college journeys together, and they can relate to each other in unique and impactful ways. The long walks and sunsets on Lower Dorm Road are experiences that I think make the first year in Malibu memorable.
On the flip side, first-year suites can also cause some issues. I believe living with someone in a small space is difficult and, oftentimes, can be a new adjustment. Minor details like disorganization, dirty laundry and loud music can cause huge disruptions.
I think the best way to solve issues like these is communicating. According to the Chicago Tribune, “communicating from the start about your expectations as a roommate is the best way to succeed in the situation.”
Communication is key and can clear up misunderstandings during times of adjustment. Finding a middle ground for problems is not always easy, but, at the end of the day, stepping out of one’s comfort zone and speaking one’s mind respectfully is a step in the right direction.
It is important to look back on college and see how far one has come. For the majority of Pepperdine students, their college journey started in the first-year suites on a hot day in August.
With uncertainty and fear, first-years walk through their first-year housing waiting to meet strangers who may later become their surfing buddy, companion or maybe even best friend.
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Email Ana Villarreal: ana.villarreal@pepperdine.edu
