Surviving Dorm Life
The transition from high school to college can be a very difficult move to make. Even the transition from semester to semester can be complicated. There are many things that have to be taken care of as you do so, and the amount of stress that can accumulate sometimes can be very unhealthy. You have to complete a FAFSA for the first time. You have to apply to a college. You will hope to attain at least a few scholarships. For some of you, you might be choosing to live on or near campus, which adds another thing that you’ll have to take care of.
Hi there, with this article I am going to attempt to alleviate at least some of the stress associated with living on campus, whether it be dealing with a roommate or just knowing what to bring with you in the first place. I hope that by the time you have finished my article that you will feel much more confident about successfully “surviving dorm life.”
I will begin by discussing an article by Jeff McGuire. (link) His article is directed at incoming freshmen. He talks about many things that one should do during their first semester living in a campus dorm. He begins with the topic of roommates. He says that you should try to talk to your roommate beforehand if at all possible, and to immediately lay down your rules and personal preferences. He goes on to say that you should try to be open, make new friends, go to events, and participate in activities at your residence hall. He says that you should coordinate with your roommate what all you are bringing to college so that you don’t end up with a lot of duplicate items, after all you wouldn’t want to bring two of anything. Things that you should bring would be a fridge, a microwave, laundry detergent, an alarm clock, and other essentials. Finally, he talks about how you should stay safe. “Study the campus, share your schedule with your friends and family, and travel in groups.” At the end of his article are links to more college-related articles about admission letters and other things that I would recommend reading.
I will now move on to basic necessities with an article by Tove Danovich. (link) He directs his article at incoming freshmen as well. He says that “living in a dorm for the first time can be like a dream, but can quickly turn into a nightmare.” The first tip he gives is to launder your clothing. He says to make sure you “check how your clothes must be cleaned and to not cram balled up clothing in the basket till it’s about to explode.” Next he says to “beware of nasties. Always wear your shower shoes. Don’t forget your towel or shower caddy.” His third tip is to always keep snacks in your room, after all, the cafeteria isn’t always open. His next tips are to keep up your supplies, keep all your stuff organized, and to make sure you have plenty of storage space. His seventh tip is to set up a cleaning schedule with your roommate early on. You don’t want your room becoming a “pig pen,” and arguing with your roommate over who’s turn it is to wash the dishes or sweep the floor just isn’t worth it; you can much more easily set a chart where you take turns sweeping once a week or do the dishes on specific days. He says that if you want a companion than you should get a plant. It is much less of a hassle when compared to a goldfish. His final tip is to use a clothing share if there is one. If there isn’t then he says you could set one up.
Finally we will be looking at a video by a girl named Kayla. She wanted to help summarize some of the main things that she learned when she looked for videos like this into one video. So she goes over some things like making sure that you actually go to class, the benefits of making friends, or avoiding the “freshmen fifteen.” Enjoy.
Overall, I think that the information we have covered so far will help you begin your integration into college life, whether it be roommate info or organizing your supplies. I hope that all this information was beneficial to you, and that you have a great first semester.
