A College Student's Guide to Dorm Life at the University of Memphis

Dorm life is a very important part of the college experience for many reasons. For some, this represents the student's independence of their parents and the introduction into their adulthood. However, in some ways, they are simply trading one for the other because with living in college dorms, come rules and other things of which they have no control like who their roommate is, the condition of a dorm room, etc. The University of Memphis has various dorms to choose from and here are a few that I have personal knowledge of living in.

RICHARDSON TOWERS: This is the freshman central of the University of Memphis. This co-ed dorm has 10 floors for girls and guys. They connect and in the middle you can find (1) a small restaurant where students can come downstairs and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, (2) a small convenient store for all emergency needs, (3) a post office where students can check their personal mailbox or send mail, (4) a computer lab open to students with their personalized passwords given to them by the University, and (5) a game room where various student activities take place during the semester. On each floor at the end of the hallway there is a study room where students who need to get away from crazy roommates can go to study, escape conflict, or just chill out. The basement holds a kitchen, an ice machine, extra tables for meals, and a laundry room. Each suite mate shares one bathroom and you have to really get on a list to have a single room. The rooms are extra small so if you are not sure about looking someone in the face all semester, I'd suggest a roomier dorm.

Some kids can get a little restless and do immature things like pull the fire alarm at crazy hours of the morning, or knock on doors and run, and even scream loudly for hours on end. If you feel that you can handle living and studying in this environment, then feel free to stay there one semester. This dorm also has a curfew and you have to sign in those of the opposite sex. Because there are so many people living in this dorm, it is fairly easy to make friends and you will be the first to know about the various activities going on around campus. This campus is not as close to the main buildings where classes are held, but you are definitely in a good spot in the neighborhood.

CARPENTER APARTMENT COMPLEX: Many experiences living at Carpenter varies by the person. My experience was not as peachy primarily because of who I shared the apartment with at the time. Carpenter Apartment Complex and Townhouses are not too far from campus but definitely a distance if you do not have a car. Within each complex there are four rooms, a living room, kitchen area, and two bathrooms. You will find that those who stay in the apartments are older (early twenties), or athletes (because of course they get all the perks right?). Unlike Richardson Towers and Mynders, Carpenter Complex does NOT have a curfew, which is the initial lure for lots of high strung college kids. At any given time, you may be witness to all night parties, people outside of your apartment congregating, or a number of other things. The downside to living at Carpenter is the fact that you have to go a ways outside to use the laundry in another building. It is free so maybe one shouldn't be too picky (smile).

MYNDERS HALL: This dorm holds special memories for me because it was the last dorm I resided in before leaving the campus life. This dorm is one of the oldest on campus so with that comes a few kinks in the pipes and such. Unlike Richardson and Carpenter, Mynders was more suited to my sort of mood. I am always seeking silence and serenity and you could literally hear a pin drop upon walking into this dorm. Many graduate students resided here because with the silence, you were much more likely to study and focus on being successful in college. I was lucky enough to have large private room with a private bath so of course that was a perk. The rooms are so large you can hold a dance class in them! The space allows you to really work with decorating.