Home Away From Home: Surviving Dorm Life

Going off to a different school and living away from home is hard for some people. Living in a dormitory is definitely different from living at home. In the dorm, and in college, your family is no longer physically within your reach. This would be the start of your independence.

So, for people who will be living in dormitories, here are some tips for you!

1. Bring only what you need. There won’t be as much space in your new home. For sure you won’t be able to bring you every possession. Be sure to only bring the essentials. Bring clothes that would fit the weather of your months of stay at your college. Remember that you can repeat what you wear (if your college doesn’t have uniforms)! It’s not a crime! Also bring a couple of boxes or containers to store your food and other things. Boxes and containers can save space as you can put them on top of your closet or under your bed. Don’t forget about your school stuff as well. In most colleges, only a handful of notebooks and trusty pens are what you need to survive the year.

2. Explore the place. Know where you can find which building so you won’t get lost as waste precious time you could use to do other more important things. Take note of the important places like laundry shops, convenience stores, loading stations, etc. Going around the campus can help you meet other people as well. Don’t stay in the dormitory the whole time. Explore!

3. Expect Noise. You will be living with other people in the dormitory. These people are different in personalities and different in sleeping schedules. As much as you want to reprimand other people for being noisy, it can’t be helped considering that there a lot of people. If you can’t handle the noise, it would be a better idea to make friends with these people! At least, in that manner, you could be more comfortable in asking for silence in times that you need it.

4. Keep your things organized. Remember that you may not be the only person in your room. Respect your roommate and keep your things organized and clean. That way your roommate may also show the same respect to you. Dormitories usually have lobbies wherein you can do your academic work along with other people. Remember that lobbies are communal places. If you’re not using the space, tidy your things up so other people could use it too.

5. Stack up on food! Expect long nights especially when your academic work is piling up. During those long nights, food stalls and food stores may be closed. So stack up on food to satisfy your hungry tummy. Cookies and crackers are good food that you can store for a long time. Also don’t forget to always have water.

6. Beware of communicable diseases. Considering you will be living with a lot more people than you’re used to, there will be a chance that communicable diseases like colds, cough, athlete’s foot and other will be within your reach. Be wary of these and keep yourself safe and healthy. Ready medicines, solutions and ointments for these diseases. Also, considering that you may share a bathroom with other people, always wear slippers when you shower. It may take some getting used to, but better safe than sorry!

7. Share responsibility. Early on, ask your roommate to create cleaning schedules to make thing easier for the both of you. Aside from keeping your room clean, this also build character.

8. Stay safe. As much as you want to be friends and trust everybody, it is more advisable to be wary of things and don’t fully trust anyone. Lock the door when you sleep and when you leave the room to protect your things as well. Always watch your surroundings. Travel with friends.

Enjoy college!