So you are going to live in a dorm, but you don’t know anything about it. Well, if you follow the list of advice below, you should be in great shape. Remember, if you don’t do stupid things you should be fine.
1. No fire
University dorms are strict with anything related to fire, because it can potentially burn down the whole building. In order to prevent unnecessary fire, almost all University dorms ban students from bringing anything that causes fire such as grill, candle, space heater, and the list goes on. Remember, safety first.
2. Be nice to your RA
You might be thinking who the heck is an RA. RA is short for resident assistant and they are specially trained students who supervises residence halls. Resident assistants are typically upperclassmen. They are known as the “police” among students living in dorms because they have the power to report you, but that is a misconception. My resident assistant last semester was really chill and we became great friends. They are there to help you and plus, they get paid! Resident assistant is a great resource because they are typically older and have more experience with the school. If you have any questions, you can always ask your RA.
3. Avoid drugs
Yes. I know. I hear you. I know University is a time for exploration and that you can do whatever you want. But doing drugs is not the kind of exploration you want to do, especially in dorms which is still a University property. The instant your RA smells or finds whatever illegal drugs you have, you will be punished for your actions. That is because you are now an adult. Be responsible and don’t blur your vision with drugs. You have greater things to do in college, so go get em.
4. Bring a desk lamp
Your bed is most likely going to be a bunk bed where your desk will be under a bed. This causes the bed to block most of the ceiling light and there won’t be sufficient light for you to study at your desk. To solve that problem, you just have to bring a desk lamp. Desk lamp can cost from five dollars to thirty dollars.
Another great use of a desk lamp is to use it as an alternative light source in the morning. Let’s say your roommate is sleeping because he has a 10 AM class, but you need to wake up and get ready right now, because your class is at 8 AM. Instead of turning on the ceiling light which will certainly irritate your roommate, you can use your desk lamp to get dressed, pack up your bag, and leave.
5. Please bring a broom and a dustpan
Have you ever vacuumed your room? If you have, you’ll know a clean room like yours still have a lot of dust on the floor. The same thing applies to your dorm room. The janitors will not clean your room. Your dorm room is a space where you will spend most of your night and even most of your day depending on your lifestyle. After a while, you will see pieces of your hair and some dust balls lying in the corner of your room which tells you that it is time for you to sweep your room.
6. Escape !
I strongly recommend you to make friends who don’t live in dorms. Living in a dorm can suck if you stay there for too long. You need to find somewhere new to spend a night. I have friends who don’t live in dorms, so every other week I would go to their apartments for a sleepover. It is a great way to refresh your body and to get away from school for a little bit.
Insight 