Everybody on my floor is very well-connected. The RA tries to be friendly and open, and the people who live on the floor try to be interested in everyone else’s niche. My roommate runs a weather authority from his hometown and is called “The Weatherman” by almost everyone. My reputation is not as funny, as I’m just the guy who’s never around. Weeks into college I’m still being asked if I live on my floor.

All around me, there are a lot of people with many different stories. One person is a Marine and there are a few international students. There’s also a guy who sits in his room all day playing League of Legends — although I think he might be missing the point.

I don’t want to put forward a generic “be social” message that everyone has heard a hundred times before. I do want to point out that my own experience so far has proven that to be a good idea. Getting caught up in work or school can cause us to miss out on so much. We’re not just here to get in and get out in four years with a degree. Though that may be the core reason colleges exist, it excludes so much about why college is referred to as the best years of a person’s life.

The students in my residence hall have quickly become a family. I’m a bit sad that I’ve already missed out on almost the first month of that, whether it’s organizing the entire floor to go out to dinner or just staying in for a movie night with the TV the RA fought so hard to get for our lounge. It’s a great way to meet people, and it’s not as if you have to go very far to see them. Constantly walking half an hour to see high school friends can be a chore, especially when there’s a group of friendly people 10 seconds from your door.

Cameron Macko is an intern at The State News. Reach him at cmacko@statenews.com.