CultusLiving in the dorms is one of the most exciting times in a new college student’s life. For most, it is the first time they are living away from home. However, there are some things that college brochures don’t mention about dealing with all on your own. Here are some things that college kids should know about living in a dorm.
You will have to make an effort to make friends
You’ll never meet anyone if you constantly hide in your room with the door locked! Make an effort to socialize with everyone on your floor. On the first day, go around and introduce yourself. If there are dorm activities, go to them as well. Make your presence known in a positive way, and you will make some lifelong friends.
Getting to class
As the dormitories are probably close to, or even located on campus, you probably don’t have far to go to get to class. That being said, be sure you are prepared for each day and the travel it takes to get to your appointments. Don’t make the mistake of leaving five minutes before class starts if it takes at least fifteen to walk across campus. If you use a skateboard, bike or scooter to get you around quicker, be sure to follow all the pedestrian laws around campus, so you can avoid incidents with walkers, cars, or crowded parking lots.
Your new roommate doesn’t have to be your new best friend
Your new roommate is probably going to be the first person you meet at college. But, this doesn’t mean you need to be attached at the hip for the next four years. If you have your group of friends, and they have theirs, that is fine. Don’t feel bad if you don’t invite them to tag along everywhere you go, and vice versa. As long as you can comfortably live with each other, that is all you need.
There will be times when you must wait for the shower to be free
Waiting for the shower in a dorm is not the same as waiting for the shower at home. The latter involves someone telling you they will be out in fifteen minutes, and you simply wait your turn. In a dorm, there are only a few showers and a lot of people. You may wake up and find a long line at the bathroom door. Be prepared to wait. Also, be prepared for times you may have to skip a shower in order to make it to class on time. Try to avoid popular times like the morning, or after sports’ activities to do your personal hygiene.
You won’t always have the privacy you want
It might be that you’ve had a tough day and want peace and quiet, but your roommate has three friends over. Or, you need some quiet time to study, but your roommate is binge watching their favorite TV show. This is all part of dorm life. The best thing to do is to find ways to work around these issues before they happen. It will make living with a roommate much easier. Lay some base rules and don’t get upset if they aren’t followed on very specific occasions.
Living in a dorm is a fun, once in a lifetime experience. It does take some compromising and hard work, but with a little effort, it will become one of the best times of your life. While small problems can and will arise, bigger issues need to be dealt with accordingly and you’ll have the help of an RA for those.
