Tips from students who have been there.
In our book, “How to Survive Your Freshman Year,” college students offer their experience on dorm life. Here are a few helpful pieces of advice they gave us:
- Talk to your roommate before you move in, not just to get to know them but to find out what they’re bringing.
- Do anything you can to move in early. Moving in with everyone else is a nightmare.
- Know that this will be one of the only times in your life when you can go completely crazy with the decorating.
- Make friends with your R.A.s. They know most of the professors and staff on campus and can put you in touch with people a lot more easily than if you had to just walk in or cold-call an office.
- DO NOT date your R.A.
- Respect your roommate. If you made the mess, clean it up. If your roommate is sleeping, take your noise someplace else.
- If you have problems with your roommate, and also have problems talking to him or her about it, ask the R.A. to schedule a three-way meeting so that you can discuss your issues on a controlled environment.
- Even if you get along with your roommate(s), it helps everyone to set monthly clean-up times.
- If you want to meet people, leave the door to your dorm room open. People wandering by will look in and might stop for a chat.