There are a ton of reasons why you should dorm. In itself, attending college is an amazing experience. There’ll be times where you’re extremely overwhelmed but there’ll also be times you where you tell yourself «ha, and I thought I was going to miss high school.» I speak from experience when I say these are some of the best reasons why you should dorm! Check them out!
You’ll never feel the sting of homesickness because your college’s RAs (resident advisors) will make it their mission to keep your freshman class occupied! Many RAs plan at least a full week of daily or nightly outings (ice cream socials, dinner parties, etc) to help the new residents bond with each other. Plus, contrary to the occasional college horror story, you might actually like your roommate. Living on campus makes you accessible to all these events! Either way, you’ll be in a building where everyone’s on the same scary ride so make an effort to bond! This tops the list in reasons why you should dorm.
In my freshman year of college, I was a commuter. That meant, I was up two hours earlier than most of my classmates because I’d have to get up, get ready, drive 30 minutes, find parking, etc. All my classmates had to do was set their alarm clocks for ten minutes before the class’ starting time. It was a drag having to commute and I definitely think dorming would’ve been a lot more convenient! Dorming puts you in walking distance of your school’s research facilities, yummy food thats already paid for, and you already have built-in friends/study buddies. You can’t have a major study group sesh at your house at 2 a.m on a weekday (well, you can, but wouldn’t you rather choose the library at school?)
At first, dorming costs seem ridiculous. However, when you really think about it, you’re saving money! Dorming ends up being a lot cheaper than leasing an apartment nearby. With the room and board fees, you get all sorts of perks: a furnished room, a meal plan, access to recreational facilities like gyms and swimming pools, etc. With off-campus living, the student needs to pay transportation, food, and more. The cost of that alone would end up being a lot more expensive than a year of dorming.
Dorms are crucial to the development of a college community. Having been a commuter, I wasn’t entirely interested in on-campus events because it’d be too much to drive back and forth to. However, being a part of all that is what builds school spirit! Getting together for a football game, or sitting out on the grass with everyone, you’re all there. Together. It truly builds life-lasting friendships.
Growing up, I always heard adults call their college experience the «best years of [their] life». Then, of course, there’s movies like «21 And Over» and «American Pie» that just get us pumped for dorm life. They’re always having such a good time going to parties, events, making friends, etc. College is about preparing yourself for the future, BUT it’s also about making memories you’ll never forget. Right? So, have some late nights, skip some early morning classes, and have fun! But please, also pass all your classes!
Even though you’re now an adult, living at home means that parents can still assign chores, set curfews, decide dinner, etc. Staying home might limit your ability to discover your own independence! At school, you won’t have parents nagging you about chores and laundry (you’ll obviously end up doing them all but hey, at least you can feel like it’s YOUR choice). Dorm life also offers privacy and the ability to come and go as you please.
Living on campus gets you plugged into all the activities going on. Being around that makes the transition from high school to college a lot easier. I’m sure there’ll be the occasional party night, but overall, college is an adult environment. Living there and studying there gets you into that «adult" mentality and gets you ready to kick ass in the real world. That’s what we’ve been waiting for, right?
Reading the list over, I even wish I had taken the opportunity to dorm at school. I would’ve enjoyed more campus events and made a lot more friends! Are you convinced you should dorm next semester?