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Residence life is a key part of a great college experience but it also comes with challenges, from a lack of privacy to roommate conflict and more. Here’s a Q&A with a current student sharing tips for how to prioritize well-being and academic success while having fun in the dorm.
As an introverted person it did take some effort to balance my social life. At the start of the year, I intentionally spent more time with people than I might have preferred so that I could make those connections early on. However, recognizing that it was okay to need space for myself was important. My dorm was all first-year singles, so I had the benefit of being able to go to my room when I needed alone time which is something that not many college freshmen are able to do.
It was definitely important to know my own limits and establish a good sleep routine. Trying to be consistent with what I did before bedtime and giving myself space to unwind after a long day helped.
If you share a bedroom with a roommate, you need to discuss and respect each other’s schedules — for example, if one person needs to go to bed earlier because they have an early morning class, job or sports practice.
I usually studied outside of my dorm. I found it easier to concentrate in the library or student center because of the separation from the distractions of my own personal space. Keeping my dorm as a place where I could relax was also beneficial — I didn’t have negative or stressful feelings associated with my room.
It’s tricky to stay healthy because you’re living on top of so many other people! It’s important to follow the typical practices of making sure you’re eating well, drinking water, and getting enough sleep. Just making sure that you’re taking care of yourself helps, but the proximity to so many other people makes sickness hard to avoid.
The fortunate part about being able to choose a roommate who I already know is that we were able to pick each other based on our similar lifestyles. That said, we’ll definitely have conversations about what we expect from each other, and being able to communicate about how we’re feeling and what we need is going to be important this year.
The best part was definitely the friendships that came out of living in the residence hall. Despite the times when I wished I had some separation from everyone around me, the dorms were a big part of my happiness in my first year — I met my two closest friends because we lived across the hall from each other. Existing in close quarters with people who are navigating the exact same stage of life as you is such a rare bonding experience, and sharing it with so many people in my class helped form connections that I wouldn’t have made otherwise.