CHAPTER 8: Dorm Life
Living in the dorms is a whole new experience. You will be relying on your friends and roommates for support. You will have your own space, albeit small, and will want to make it your own.
Decorating Your Tissue Box, or, Dorm Room
The header is a bit facetious, but have you seen the size of your dorm room yet? There is not going to be much room, but what it is for sure, is yours. Make it your own. Personalize your space. Make your dorm room your haven from the brutal classes and strange professors. Consult the packing list in the first section (and checklist in Appendix A) for what you should and should not bring to your college dorm room. You will be sharing your room with someone else, almost certainly someone you do not or barely know. You will want to make your space special to you while being respectful of the fact that you will be sharing this space with someone else.
Posters are an excellent way to dress up drab walls and make your space feel more like home. Pick posters that say something about you, mean something to you, and that you will not be embarrassed about when friends and family come to visit. College bookstores often sell posters if you do not already have some from home. Be sure to read the dorm room rules before you start tacking things to the walls. Colleges often do not allow nails or holes in the walls. Tape can tear paint off the walls. Ask your RA what is approved if you were not given a list of rules when you moved in to your dorm room.
Bring pictures from home and leave room to add pictures of your new college friends and experiences. Framed pictures can be placed on desktops and nightstands and can help you feel close to your family and friends back home. They also serve as conversation starters to visiting friends. You may also want to create a collage of pictures on the wall above your desk or around your bed. These collages frequently consist of unframed photos adhered directly to the wall, with whatever adhesive is approved for such things. When creating your collage, leave room to add pictures of your college friends.
Other keepsakes and home reminders will help keep you in touch with your family and friends. Just take note that you do not want to bring anything that has too much sentimental or replacement value. A family heirloom is most likely best left at home, although bringing a picture of it might be nice. The items you bring may get broken or even stolen, so think twice before you bring something with much value to you. A favorite coffee mug or stuffed animal are good options.
Bring shrubbery. Well, at least something green to add a bit of life to your dorm room. Cacti and other desert-type plants are always a good option. You will want something small that does not require much care. You most likely will not want to bring your plant home with you on school breaks, and there will not be anyone around to water it. Find a plant that can live a while without much care.
Do not forget that your dorm room is not a permanent home. What you bring to your dorm room in September, you will be bringing home again in June. Do not bring too much, and avoid bringing too many items that are hard to pack or transport. You may not be in the same room year after year. Packing for college is only half the battle. You will also be packing for home at the end of the school year.
Dorm Room Rules
Every college campus has different dorm room rules. Getting to know yours will help you prevent getting in trouble later on. Your RA will be a good contact for learning the dorm room rules, but most colleges will let you know them up front. Rules include forbidden appliances, quiet hours, and visitation hours. If you are attending a private religious school, expect rules — that is, no men in the ladies dorm and no alcohol allowed in the dorms, whether you are over 21 years old or not. Look over the rules when you move in, and if you have questions about the rules, ask your RA.
Speaking of your RA, get to know him or her. RAs are by and large upperclassmen who were selected because they have proven themselves responsible enough to watch over the dorm. If you follow the rules and are respectful, your RA can be a good friend. If not, you may find yourself running away every time your RA pokes his or her head around the corner. Most RAs will hold regular meetings, about once a month. Attend the meetings and find out if there are any changes to the rules or if any problems have been brought to his or her attention. If your dorm has quiet hours (which is common on college campus), a common complaint will be people not respecting the hours. Quiet hours are put into place to allow students to accomplish the all-important tasks of studying and sleeping.
Cleaning
Together, you and your new roommate need to decide how clean you would like to keep your dorm room. If you are a clean freak and your roommate is a slob, you may face some interesting discussions throughout the year. See Chapter 9 for more information on dealing with roommate issues. Whatever level of cleanliness you and your roommate are comfortable with, bear in mind that a clean dorm room will be important on some level. Your dorm room will serve as your living, sleeping, dining, and entertaining areas. You will not want to bring dates over and hear, “Yuck. How do you guys live like this?” Then, of course, there will be visits from your mom. Do not make her pass out in shame that you live in such a pigsty.
Keep basic cleaning supplies on hand. A broom, mop, sponges, dish soap, hand soap, paper towels, and all-purpose cleaner should serve well as a starting cleaning package. For good old hygiene reasons, you will want to maintain a comfortable level of cleanliness. Wash your dishes promptly after use to avoid attracting bugs and bad smells. If you share a kitchen, bathroom, or common space with roommates or hallmates, it is important to respect everyone’s wishes and keep the space clean. Keep couches free to sit in. How else can you invite friends over for movie night? Do not create an obstacle course of books and dirty laundry on the floor. You will be much less likely to have visitors (other than the four-legged buggy types) if you do not have a clear floor space. Do not forget to take out the trash. No one wants to live in a smelly room. If the stench from your room is emanating into the hallways and your RA has left notes saying your neighbors are starting to complain, chances are you have left something somewhere for a little too long. One more thing to add to your cleaning supply list: air freshener. Your dorm will likely not allow candles, but keep something handy to rid your space of uninviting odors.
Laundry
Doing the laundry does not mean throwing all your clothes in one hamper, dumping the hamper in the washing machine, and coming back in an hour to move your clothes (possibly all a nice shade of pink now) into the dryer. If you have not already been doing your own laundry, you will need to learn fast. Separate your clothing by color, and at least have a load of light colors and dark colors. Start reading your clothing tags. You may need to add a load of delicates to your list. Clean out all your pockets before shoving your clothes in the washing machine because pens do not mix well with soap, water, and clothes. Make sure you load the washing machine with the right amount of clothes. Do not overload the machine, or your clothes will not get cleaned adequately. Too little clothing and you will be wasting money on laundry.
Schedule your laundry days. Try to do your laundry once a week to avoid having to wear the same outfit (and, yuck, underwear) three days in a row. Pick a non-peak time to do your laundry so that you are not waiting around for a machine or coming back to find the clothes you just washed lying on the dirty laundry room floor still soaking wet. Weekends are normally busy laundry days; try to find a weekday night to designate as your laundry night.
Dorm Activities
Get involved in your dorm’s activities. Your dorm will most likely have social gatherings or clubs for dorm residents. Not only are these events fun, you will be participating with people who also live in your dorm. Getting to know your dorm-mates, not just your roommates, will add to your friend list. You will meet many different people who are all living in your same building. Knowing the people who live around you will be helpful for those nights you are looking for something to do and the times that you run out of sugar for your coffee on late-night study sessions.
Hang out in your dorm’s common areas. This is another excellent way to meet the people you live with and have fun doing it. If your dorm has a day room with a TV, go there to watch the big game or see what is on. Many dorms also have a common game room area. Stop by and play a pick-up game of pool or foosball.