As senior year of high school winds down, many students begin to face the reality of what comes next: college. For Kenzie Johnson and Tucker Lloyd, two friends about to graduate, the future holds exciting but very different paths. Kenzie is preparing to attend Clarion University, a smaller, more intimate school, while Tucker is heading to the larger and busier West Virginia University. Though both are stepping into the next chapter of their lives, their approaches to college – and especially their dorm preparations- couldn’t be more different.
Kenzie is the type of person who loves to plan ahead. From the very start of her senior year, she knew she wanted to go to Clarion, where it’s quiet, not many people out on weekends, and a small campus overall where you can have short walks to class. and she was eager to find a roommate early to relieve the stress. She would constantly go onto the Clarion class of 2029 Instagram page and look for girls who have the same interests as her – going out, reading, being active, and going shopping. That’s where she came across a girl named Autumn and quickly realized that they had a lot in common. The number one thing that they had in common was that they both loved shopping. Kenzie messaged to start a conversation and to ask if she already had a roommate. Luckily, Autumn replied that she didn’t — the timing worked out perfectly. Kenzie said, “Getting to know my roommate through the college Instagram account was such a fun experience! I think we are going to get along well.” They ended up talking for a couple of weeks and eventually decided that they wanted to room together. They’re going to be living in a two-person suite, which includes their own bathroom, a small kitchen, a shared living space, and separate bedrooms. Kenzie said, “We both want to make this space as comfortable and home-like as we can.”
Kenzie has been planning out what she wants her dorm space to look like for months. She’s already bought tons of items, spent hours curating Pinterest boards for inspiration, and has had countless conversations with her roommate, Autumn, about their shared vision. Their theme is blue, white, and gold, and they want to keep that color scheme throughout the whole dorm. To stay organized, they created a shared Google Doc where they keep track of items they can split the cost of or take turns buying. Kenzie even made her own Google Sheet to list out everything she needs for each area of the suite — from the bedroom to the kitchen and bathroom. Some needs that she needs for her space are an air purifier, a hamper, a blue fluffy comforter, grey towels, white sheets, and a blue bath mat that says’ get naked’. She’s been watching TikTok for dorm must-haves and creative organization ideas.
Kenzie was also pleasantly surprised to find out that Autumn currently attends Norwin High School, only about 30 minutes from her hometown of Latrobe. Since they live so close by, Kenzie is hoping to meet up with her somewhere in Greensburg, which is a good halfway point for both of them. They’ve talked about grabbing lunch and maybe doing some shopping, possibly picking up a few dorm supplies along the way. Kenzie thinks it would be a fun way to bond and feels like meeting in person before move-in day will help ease some of the nerves. “With Autumn only being 30 minutes away from Latrobe, meeting her won’t be hard,” Kenzie said. “I’m eager to plan an outing with her.”
Tucker, on the other hand, is taking a very different approach to college life. He’ll be attending West Virginia University, a very large and dynamic campus with thousands of students. WVU is a very loud and active college town on the weekends, and always a rush of students scrambling around on the PRT going to class at the last minute. Unlike most freshmen, Tucker chose to live in a single dorm, with no roommate and no shared space. ”Living alone means I can really make this space my own. I’m looking forward to having my own routine and freedom,” Tucker said. Choosing this path for college is not common, but Tucker thinks it will be the best fit for him. He said, “I know most people choose to have a roommate, but for me, I’m ready for the challenges and independence that come with it.” Even though he isn’t looking for a roommate, Tucker has still been using the WVU Class of 2029 Instagram page to connect with friends. He said, “It was really nice to not have the stress of finding a roommate or getting stuck with a random person.”
Tucker does not really have preferences on what theme he wants for his room or what he wants it to look like. “Honestly, I’m not worried about what my room will look like, it’s just a place to sleep,” he said. He hasn’t started shopping or planning what he wants to bring to college yet, and decorating isn’t high on his list of priorities. Even though he’ll be in a single room without a roommate, he will still have to share a communal bathroom with others on his floor, which might be a hard adjustment. His room itself is fairly spacious and includes a small single bed, a tan dresser, a desk with little personality, and a closet that could only fit his video game console and a football, giving him plenty of room for anything he wants to bring from home because he is living by himself. Unlike many college students who have to be mindful of space because they’re sharing with a roommate, Tucker doesn’t have to worry about that.
Despite their differences, Kenzie and Tucker share the same experience: the anticipation of change, the nerves of leaving home, and the excitement of starting something new. One is heading to a smaller and quieter campus; the other to a large and busy university. While their journeys look different — from color-coordinated Pinterest boards to undecorated single rooms — they’re both seniors on the edge of a major life transition. Though their paths may look different, both are stepping into this next chapter with excitement, ready to experience college in the way that feels right for them.
