After 18 years in the comfort of your own bedroom, you’re suddenly forced to live with someone you don’t know very well and on top of that, you’re stuck spending time in a small, cramped room with a bed that’s too narrow bed and in communal showers that stink. Dorm life. While cons may seem to be piling up, living in the dorms is easier than you might think.
1. Headphones are more impor tant than you may have ever believed. Remember that road trip you took with your parents when they listened to NPR the entire way? You’ll need them more than you did then while living in the dorms. Say goodbye to the quiet tranquility of your childhood home and say hello to loud neighbors and blaring music. To survive the dorms, you will need to tune people out, whether to study or just catch a little “me time” on the way to class. Investing in a good pair of headphones should be near the top of your back to school list.
2. It can be nerve-racking to move to a place where you know basically no one, but a simple way to make friends in college is to get to know your neighbors. It can be as simple as knocking on your neighbor’s door and introducing yourself and, who knows, you might just meet your new best friend.
3. Be sure to make your dorm room your own. Between all of the craziness of classes and the drama of new friendships, you’ll need somewhere you can unwind. The best place to do that will be in your dorm room, so make sure to make it as comfortable as possible.
4. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to roommates. It can be easy to avoid confrontation with your roommate in hopes of avoiding any drama, but the more you hold in all of your annoyances, the more explosive and detrimental it will be when it eventually comes out. Always be truthful.
5. In regards to roommates, be sure to lay down house rules right away. When you first move into the dorms you will be required to fill out a roommate agreement. Make sure you and your roommate thoroughly go over the answers to make sure you both really agree on how you want to live in your room. This is crucial to a healthy living arrangement and roommate relationship.
6. This should be obvious, but shower shoes really are essential to surviving in the dorms. Seriously. You have no idea what kind of deathly diseases you could contract from those shower floors. Always wear your showers shoes. No matter what.
7. Organization is key. Your space is limited as it is, so don’t make it more cluttered by filling it with books, assignments and the inevitable takeout container. Invest in some organization bins and be sure to tidy up your space on a regular basis.
8. Cleaning and organization go hand in hand. Your dorm room is the only place on campus that is really yours, so keep it as clean as you can. In the long run, you will be happier and feel more comfortable living in your room. No one wants to end up having to clean live maggots out of their trashcan at the end of the year. Trust me. It happens.
9. Oddly, one of the best tips to surviving the dorms is to get out every once in awhile. DU is a beautiful campus in a beautiful city, so be sure to explore all that Denver has to offer. Plus, getting a break from your dorm is a very good thing.
10. Not to be cheesy, but make the most of it. You will only get to have this experience once or twice in your lifetime, so don’t waste it. It might not always be easy living in the dorms, but it will definitely be memorable.
