It's one of the first ways that students living at Colgate identify themselves: "I'm on the third floor of Andrews." Or, "I live in East."

When students arrive on campus each August, they bring their excitement and enthusiasm. They also bring duffel bags brimming with clothes, crates of PowerBars and macaroni and cheese, photographs, and iPods.

Empty rooms quickly transform into warm and inviting spaces, and students soon find that their residence halls are communities. They are study spaces, central locations for events with friends, and the perfect place for discussing politics or enjoying a favorite TV show.

Last semester, students with video cameras set out to show fellow students in their own spaces. The videos they created show life in residence halls, apartments, and townhouses.

Click here for a look at where students live and thrive, and where friendships start that can last a lifetime.