All WSU freshmen should have to live in the dorms for at least their first semester of college, if not the whole year.

Living in the dorms as a freshman can either feel like moving into a second home or a prison cell.

Currently, the policy at WSU is if you go through formal rush you can’t live in your fraternity or sorority your first year. The only exception is if you summer-sign a dry house before your freshman year. Then you can go straight to living in a fraternity.

There are several reasons for why freshmen should live in the dorms their first year.

Pledging to a fraternity or sorority is a significant time commitment and it can make it more difficult to form strong relationships with students outside of your house.

Living in the dorms will broaden your network and connect you with lots of new people. There is something about living in close quarters and going through the same experiences of being a freshman that forms lasting relationships.

Having both Greek and non-Greek students living in the dorms together helps bridge the gap between these two groups. This provides a great opportunity to establish friendships that can last throughout an entire college career even after some students move into other housing after their first year.

This can help Greeks and non-Greeks gain an appreciation for one another and learn that we’re not really all that different.

Joining the Greek system as a freshman can be very overwhelming for some students. Between meeting all the new members in your house, the opportunities to socialize and extracurricular activities, some have difficulty managing their time.

Having a dorm room away from your fraternity or sorority creates a stress-free place where you can retreat. It’s nice having a home to go to when you want to pass on a party to study or just have a quiet night in.

“I have loved living in the dorms so far,” said Hayley Hopkins, a freshman who went through formal rush. “It’s great to be able to have my own space to relax and also have the option to go to my sorority whenever I want.”

However, with the freshman class being as big as it is this year, dorms are already overcrowded and some students are having to triple up in dorm rooms which could be detrimental to their experience.

But going through difficult circumstances beyond your control, especially in college where the stakes aren’t as high, will help students deal with worse things later in life.

In the future, your boss or coworkers aren’t going to be your best friends, but if you know how to resolve conflict and build good relationships it can make your life much easier. Living with a stranger teaches students how to get along with people who have different backgrounds, perspectives and goals.

So after examining the situation, should freshmen have to live in the dorms their freshman year?

I say yes, at least for the first semester. Some people may say it’s wrong to force people into something they don’t want to do, but life loves throwing curveballs. It’s your job to step up to the plate and take a swing.

Living in the dorms is something that all freshmen should experience. You will meet different people and experience different things you never would have if you were living in the Greek system.

So if there are any incoming freshman reading this article dreading the future of dorm life, don’t worry too much about it. I’m a senior Greek student with experience to back up the claim that living in the dorms will be one of the best experiences of your life.

You may not love every moment, but I guarantee you will make memories that will last a lifetime and come away learning more about yourself than you thought.