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What is College Dorm Life Like - Tips for Surviving University Dorm Living

What is College Dorm Life Like


Are you trying to make the decision of whether or not to live in a college dorm during your first year in college? If your college campus gives you an option for living on or off campus, you might be thinking that dorm life isn’t for you. It’s filled with giggling girls and show off boys, has too many rules and means sharing space that you don’t want to share. But life in dorms is more than just these basic stereotypes, and it might be more like what you need right now than you could possibly imagine. Following are some myths about life in dorms and the realities behind them.


Life in Dorms, Myth #1: Sharing a room is awful.

If you’ve always had your own room at your parents’ house, the idea of sharing a room with someone else can seem terrible. But it’s usually not as awful as most students think. You can divide the room in half so that you have an area which is your personal space and you can work out a schedule with your roommate so you have some alone time in your room. Life is all about compromise and you may find that the compromises are worth the benefits of having a roommate around to talk with and rely on during the first year of college.


Life in Dorms, Myth #2: There are too many rules.

Yes, there are rules in dorms. How strict they are depends on the school and is something that you might want to look into as you consider colleges. But you probably had rules in your parents’ home and the rules of the dorm are probably less strict than those at home. And the rules are there for your own good, whether you like it or not. The transition to college can be tough and sometimes having some boundaries in place can really help you to make that transition.


Life in Dorms, Myth #3: Every night is a party.

Often, when you first move into your dorm, there is a lot of socializing going on. This may intimidate you if you aren’t used to be very social or you are concerned about your study time. But it usually tapers off after the first few weeks as people settle into their social groups and get used to being around each other on campus. Besides, your room is your space and you get to have a say in how it’s used. If you don’t want a party in your room all of the time and you’re able to communicate your needs to your dorm mate, you shouldn’t have any real problems. Besides, you might like those midnight slumber sessions once in awhile.


Life in Dorms, Myth #4: It’s always noisy.


This is one that is sometimes true and sometimes not. You have a lot of people living in a small space with thin walls so you’re going to hear some noise. But most of your roommates in the dorm are going to be a lot like you – noisy sometimes and not so noisy at other times. A good pair of ear plugs, a great mp3 player and strong communication skills with your neighbors go a long way towards making this myth a minimal problem.


Life in Dorms, Myth #5: You won’t like anyone you live with.


College dorm life in reality isn’t a lot like what you see portrayed on TV. In other words, there aren’t cookie cutter people who all live in the dorm together. Instead, there are a diverse group of people who come from a range of backgrounds and who have a variety of beliefs and habits. You’re sure to find someone that you can get along with. Be open to liking your dorm mates and dorm life should go smoothly for you.

How to Make the Transition from High School to College Life Easier

How to Make the Transition from High School to College Life Easier



The transition to college is often difficult for students to make. Frequently, it means moving to a new home which might not be in the same city – or even the same part of the country – as your high school home. The transition to college also requires you to take on new responsibilities in life, learn new skills and essentially to “grow up”. But college life is designed to make this transition as easy as possible, providing you with resources on campus to help you through the difficulties of making the transition.


The biggest difficulty that comes with the transition to college is the difficulty of moving away from home. Sure, you’re thrilled about it. But you’re probably also scared. You have to learn how to pay your bills on your own, set your own schedule, and handle your own household responsibilities. Living in a dorm can greatly help with your transition to college for this reason. It gives you some regulations and guidelines to keep you from getting too crazy while allowing you some of the freedoms of living on your own. It’s the perfect medium between living at home with your parents and living in an apartment and can be the transition that you need in terms of housing.


Other than housing, the general responsibilities of life that you’ll have to manage are the major part of your transition to college. Your credit card and cell phone bills will likely be coming to your new home and you’re going to need to figure out how to pay them in a timely manner. You’re not going to have anyone to tell you when to go to bed, so you’ll need to figure out when you need some sleep. These are things that you’ll learn with time. The most important thing is to stay tuned in to yourself. If you’re getting sick often, feeling stressed all the time or feel unusually depressed and scared, you might need to get some help as you make these transitions.


Help is something that you should have at your disposal anyway, because the transition to college isn’t always easy even in the best of circumstances. Help can come in many forms. Maybe you just need to know that you can call your best friend from back home in the middle of the night to tell her that all of your roommates are mean and you don’t like anyone in your classes. Perhaps you need the security of knowing that you can go back home for a year if you can’t make the transition to college work for you. Or maybe you need regular contact with a school counselor to give you guidance about making choices as you transition to college. Make use of all of the human resources at your disposal to make the transition go more smoothly.


You’re hardly the first … or the last … person to make the transition to college. Others have done it successfully year after year and you’ll be able to do it as well. Trust your own abilities, be willing to make and learn from your mistakes and surround yourself with people who will help you transition to college. It’s an exciting time of life and you should do your best to make the most of it!