Are you going off to college soon and anxious about living in a dorm? Are you unsure about what to expect? We’ll help you paint a picture of what you can expect from dorm life and things you can expect to find in your new home.
Life in a college dormitory is not always peachy; however, never fear you can make it through. Student dormitories are all different, and they all have different amenities. We will walk you through what to expect from a typical dorm building and some essential things to know when living in a college dormitory.
Your college living experience is all about what you make it. To find information about dorm life problems and how to survive them, all you have to do is keep reading.
What to Expect Living in a College Dorm?
What to Expect Living in a College Dorm?Living in a dorm is not always easy, but it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Different colleges will provide students with various amenities depending on their dorm. Some dorms will be coed, whereas others may be segregated by gender or grade level. Several things may come standard in your dorm. However, it’s essential to look into things thoroughly when making your living choices.
Living in a college dorm will likely not be a smooth transition as it will be highly different from your current environment. It is no longer just you and your siblings sharing a room; how you behave must change. There are several things you can expect when living in a dorm, and these may include the following:
Consistent Noise
Noise is one thing you will need to get used to when living on campus. You may not always hear game-day-level noise, but it will likely be louder than your typical neighborhood. This noise will probably happen inside your dorm building and outside. Depending on the college you go to, there is always bound to be something happening outside. Learning to sleep through excessive amounts of noise or investing in earplugs may be helpful. You may also hear students walking up and down the hallways at all hours.
Limited Privacy
Privacy is one thing that you shouldn’t expect to have in college. Most first-year students will not have access to a full kitchen or a private bath. You will likely be sharing a communal bath with others. This means that you must bring your toiletries in and out of the bathroom with you when you shower. You will likely also be sharing a room with someone you may not know or be familiar with. This means that you may need to invest in a protective device like a safe or a lockbox to ensure that some of your most personal items are secure.
Curfew
Some dorms may also enforce a curfew. This curfew may be in place for first-year students only and force students to be back on campus and accounted for by a particular time. This is not the case for all campuses but may vary based on the school you choose to attend.
Alcohol Restrictions
Alcohol restrictions are one thing that may vary by campus. Some campuses will allow students of drinking age to bring alcohol on the campus; this is sometimes referred to as a wet campus. A dry campus is one where no student is allowed to bring alcohol.
Limited Storage Space
Storage is one thing that is often scarce in dorm living. You will likely only have a chest and a small closet or closet area. It is advised that students bring their trunks to lock any valuables in when away. Space is also shared; therefore, having items which take up small amounts of space are essential.
What Do College Dorms Usually Come With?
College Dorms will typically provide students with the bare necessities in room and outside of it. When referring to the student dormitory building as a whole, students will likely receive the basic needs. This includes 24-hour access to the building and any access to study rooms or computer labs within the building. Though these rooms will typically have the same hours as the building, they can vary by school. Computer labs can commonly be found in all dorms with computers and printers. They allow students to get work done even when they don’t have a laptop handy.
Inside of a student’s dorm room, they will also receive standard amenities given to all students. These will likely include a bed, a twin long mattress, and a dresser. Some schools may provide students with the option of lofting their bed by utilizing the furniture. However, this is offered on a case-by-case basis.
How to Live in a College Dorm?
Living in a college dorm doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be a fun and rewarding experience, which your level may often influence in college. First-year students will usually have the least privacy and the most opportunities to explore. This is something that all students should take advantage of. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your college experience, practice some of the tasks in the list below.
- Get to know the people around you – Living on campus gives you ample opportunity to meet individuals that you may never talk to. To get the most of your experience, interact with your neighbors, take advantage of the offered activities, and put yourself out there.
- Understand that everyone is not your friend. Before telling anyone your personal business make sure that you know them and understand their motives. Some individuals only fish for information to use against you.
- Avoid the freshman 15. Though you will need to live on campus, try to find healthy options within your meal center. You will likely also receive membership to your campus’s gym. If eating healthy isn’t working for you, try using the gym a few times a week to offset the consequences.
7 Â Things to Know Before Living in a College Dorm
- Respect everyone’s space. You will not like everyone, and that is okay; however, you should respect everyone and their space. The same respect you would like to receive is what you should give out to others.
- Clean up after yourself. You no longer live with your parents, and you will be sharing your space with strangers. Therefore, you will need to make sure that you clean up after yourself and that you set ground rules for cleanliness with your roommates. This will save you from a lot of potential arguments in the future.
- Your meal plan will be your friend. There may be one question on your mind that it may be hard to answer until you actually select a school and dorm room. Do college dorms have kitchens? Typically the answer to this question is no. Students will have access to a mini-fridge and microwave combo; however, it is rare for students to have kitchens. Though some dorms may come with a community kitchen to use, that is not always the case. If you are worried about having meals, use your meal plan to your advantage. Students living on campus will likely have to have. Therefore, you shouldn’t let it go to waste.
- Use social media to your advantage. If you are unfamiliar with your potential roommate or looking for other students who will be housed in your dorm, social media is a great place to start. Colleges will often have freshman groups on Facebook or Instagram to help students get acclimated with school or do things like finding their potential roommate.
- Research your options. You must pay attention to your options and the deadline to choose them. Often, more excellent dorms will fill up quicker, leaving younger students with the most undesirable options. Use social media to get a closer look at dorms from a student’s perspective. Please consider their condition and any unique stipulations required to live there.
- Organization is key. How you organize your dorm is essential to how well you will live throughout the year. Having surfaces that double in purpose or items which double as storage are great options for maximizing space in your room.
- Be kind to your roommate and RA. Cultivating a good relationship with your roommate where open communication is key can be essential to avoiding arguments in the future. You should set clear expectations for each other and how you expect your time together to go. Another tip for living well in a student dormitory is befriending and being kind to your resident assistants. You never know when you may need them.
Wrapping Things Up: What is a College Dorm Like?
A college dorm is a place that is always bustling. You will meet people from various backgrounds, age groups, and interests. Living in a dorm may be complicated due to the lack of privacy and smaller quarters. However, if you make the most of your dorm time, you will likely love it.
Doing things like respecting your peers and researching each of your options ahead of time will likely ensure that you are in the best and most fitting dorm for you. Use this list to help you prepare for college and enjoy your time.
Check out our ultimate college dorm essentials checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need when you move into your new living space.
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