What to Expect Your First Year Living in a College Dorm
- You’ll have some rules to learn. Every college dorm has rules.
- Most dorms have RAs. Get to know yours!
- You will get lost. Get to know your building.
- Everyone has roommates.
- Dorm rooms can be bland.
- It’s easy to get frustrated with dorm living.
What do you need for college dorms?
10 Dorm Room Essentials for Your Freshman Year
- Comfortable bedding. Creating a comfortable bed that you love is essential when moving into your dorm space.
- Storage containers.
- Shower Caddy/Shower Shoes.
- Masks.
- Cleaning Supplies.
- Microwave and Mini Fridge.
- Decorations.
- Removable hooks.
What to know about living in a dorm?
Here are some suggestions:
- Set study hours or quiet hours for your room.
- Preferences around what you can borrow from each other (food, clothes, etc.)
- Temperature—how hot or cold do you want the room to be.
- Rules around when the door will be locked or unlocked.
- When visitors are allowed and how long they can stay.
What should I ask about dorms?
Here are a few things to ask about the dorm rooms themselves though:
- Are freshmen required to live on campus and/or have their own dorm building?
- What’s the average size of a dorm room?
- Do I have to live in a dorm with a roommate freshman year or are there other housing options? (A single or suite?)
What makes a good college dorm?
The colleges with the best dorms may provide on-site tutoring, or even a living-learning community where students support each other in the same programs. Fitness centers, fresh, healthy food, and privacy all have a real, measurable impact on student performance and well-being.
Is it cheaper to live in a dorm or off campus?
The rental cost of living off-campus is cheaper than the price of a room or bed in the school, although additional running costs on utility, furniture, and fixtures might eventually scale up the cost of living outside the campus and bring it to par and sometimes more than the cost of college dorms.
What should you not bring to a college dorm?
What Not to Bring to College: 12 Things You Don’t Need
- Unnecessary Debt. While debt isn’t something students technically “pack,” it’s something they may be carrying with them.
- Furniture.
- Certain Kitchen Appliances.
- Space Heaters and Electric Blankets.
- Candles and Incense.
- Printers.
- Too Much Clothing.
- Knick-Knacks or Tchotchkes.
How do you prepare for dorms?
How to Better Prepare for Living in the Dorms
- Set Ground Rules with Your Roommate.
- Schedule Alone Time Outside Your Dorm.
- Set a Monthly Budget.
- Decorate Your Dorm Room for Less.
- Invest in Good Sleep.
- Keep in Touch with Family and Friends.
- Plan Ahead for Student Debt.
How do people survive in college dorms?
Here are some of the survival tips I shared:
- Don’t Just Shout. Talk It Out.
- Make Your Room Represent YOU. Your dorm room isn’t just the place where you sleep or study.
- A Clean Room Is a Happy Room. Cleanliness is important.
- Snack Time Is the Best Time.
- Be Open to Differences.
How is dorm life in college?
Living in a college dorm can get quite expensive. There is little privacy and personal space in college dorms. Few dorms give students access to kitchens and washing machines. However, dorms can be a great place to make friends and socialize.
What do you do in a college dorm room?
6 Things to do alone in your dorm room
- Do your nails. Your hands aren’t only for writing essays and your feet aren’t just for walking.
- Take a long, hot shower.
- Take care of your face.
- Learn new make-up tricks.
- Go online shopping.
- Plan your to-do list.
- Things to try: do yoga.
- Call for food delivery.
Do you get to choose your college dorm?
How are roommates chosen? If you want or need a roommate, you can select a specific person (if you have a friend going to the same school) or the college can choose one for you. To match you with a roommate, colleges use a housing questionnaire. They ask you personal questions about your lifestyle and living habits.
What are the best college dorms?
The 15 Best College Dorms That Are Nicer Than Your Apartment
- 1 MIT. MIT.
- 2 Scripps College. Scripp’s College.
- 3 Bryn Mawr College. Brynn Mawr.
- 4 Oberlin College. Oberlin College.
- 5 Yale University. Yale University.
- 6 Florida Gulf Coast University. Florida Gulf Coast University.
- 7 Washington University in St.
- 8 Stanford University.
Is it better to dorm or apartment?
Apartments are Usually Cheaper than Dorms
While it may seem surprising, apartments are cheaper than college dorms. This is because dorms require students to pay semester fees for room and board. These fees cover the costs for utilities, laundry, and other services.
How much does it cost to stay in a college dorm?
Cost of a college dorm
The average cost of room and board was $11,500 for a public school and $12,990 at private colleges for the 2019-2020 academic year, according to a report by College Data. Over the course of four years, living in a college dorm could add more than $45,000 to your total cost of attendance.
Does fafsa cover housing?
Yes. If you receive financial aid, you can use it to help pay for off-campus housing. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) says that you can use these dollars to pay for the cost of attending an institution of higher education, which includes room and board, including off-campus housing.
Do you have to buy your own toilet paper in college?
Bathroom Supplies and Personal Items
Although some dorm rooms will provide toilet paper, you may want to buy some that are softer for your bum. Some will also allow you to rent a vacuum and other supplies.
Can you bring your own bed to a dorm?
College dorms typically provide bedframes and mattresses, so you likely won’t be able to bring your own mattress. You may choose to bring a foam mattress topper to make the standard bed more comfortable.
How should a freshman prepare for college?
Follow these 13 tips to prepare for your freshman year of college, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success.
13 Ways to Prepare for Your Freshman Year of College
- Schedule a Campus Tour.
- Get Organized.
- Establish Housing.
- Pack Strategically.
- Create a Budget.
- Practice Life Skills.
- Read, Read, and Read Some More.
- Network.
Do dorms have bathrooms?
Most dorms have large bathrooms for each hall. If you’re in a single-sex dorm you may have two bathrooms on your floor available for your use. If you’re in a coed dorm, there may be separate bathrooms for each gender or shared bathrooms.
What do college students buy the most?
In a different survey of over 500 college students, students reported spending their money in the following non-essential categories:
- Restaurants – 99%
- Beauty – 76%
- Fashion – 70%
- Electronics – 60%
- Live music – 59%
- Media – 57%
- Gyms and fitness – 38%
