Is Dorm Life Right for You?

After choosing a college and being accepted, the next big decision is about living arrangements. Deciding between living on-campus and off-campus is important and either choice has its pros and cons. There are several factors to consider when deciding if you should live in a dorm.

Dorm life can be noisy. With hallways that echo and loud stereos in the next room, studying can be difficult at times. When I was living in a dorm, I lived across the hall from members of the basketball team who enjoyed dribbling and playing with several basketballs at once in the hallway. Only after quiet hours began at 10pm did the noise in the dorm stop. By then I was often too tired to study. Off campus living can be quieter unless you are dealing with noisy neighbors. Some dorms have a quiet place for studying or going to the campus library might be an option.

Dorm life may require living with a roommate. Living with a roommate can be fun, but depending on the person it might be a nightmare. In my freshman year I lived with a roommate who spent hours on the phone crying because she was homesick. Trying to help her through this difficult time and concentrating on my first semester of Pre-Med courses was not easy. However, if you live off campus and have a roommate you may be dealing with most of the roommate issues that you'd have while living in a dorm.

Dorm life may come with restrictions such as who can visit your room. Some dorms do not allow members of the opposite sex into dorm rooms. Some dorms have a curfew and visiting hours after which the entrance to the dorm is locked.

Dorm life is not horrible. There are many positive aspects to dorm life. In many cases, instant and lasting friendships are made with roommates and suitemates. If you go in to dorm life knowing that you are not the roommate type, most dorms offer a private room option when space is available.

Dorm life usually includes meals on campus and laundry facilitates in the building. Some apartments do not offer laundry rooms. Dorm life provides students with instant study groups. Dorm life is usually not as expensive as living off campus. Dorm life is convenient. Dorm residents are already on campus and do not have to struggle to find parking for classes or events held on campus. Walking to class is healthy for the student and for the environment. However, finding an apartment or other residence close to campus may provide the same convenient benefits.

The most important thing is to find out the rules of the dorm in which you will be staying. Ask to speak to current dorm residents about their personal experience in the dorm. Some dorms have taken measures to prevent some of the problems I've mentioned above. Carpeted hallways can cut down on the noise level. Room architecture can provide more privacy in a shared room. Roommate matching may be in place to ensure that roommates at least have the same major and comparable goals, if not compatible personalities.

If you feel that dorm life will not be right for you but you don't have a choice about your living arrangements you may find that spending studying or relaxing time in other areas and being in the dorm for sleeping only will help. Many people, however, will find that they worried about dorm life needlessly and even looked back on it with warm feelings after their college years were over.