College has always been marketed to me as an experience for personal and professional growth; an experience to develop independence and further my own self interests. But with all of that independence and control, it can get quite lonely quickly. The great thing about being in a shared space with a large number of other students is that you are surrounded by other people who may be in the same situation as yourself. Knowing that other people also want to meet new people can be encouraging. While it is important to develop your own sense of individualism and explore your own interests, who says you have to do it alone?