I can live in a dorm during school free of charge. Should I live on campus? My tuition and books are free as well, so regular living costs shouldn't hurt at all. Anyone have dorm experience?
Yeah, if it's free. You'll be closer to classes and things, which is nice. Of course, a bad roommate can ruin the experience for you (it has for me), but a good roommate can improve it greatly (it also has for me), so keep that in mind.
Pitching in with some people you know and renting a house is the way to go man. Might mean extra hours at work or whatever, but I'd say anything is better than those dorm monitor douche bags...
I lived in a dorm my first year (but a single room not with a room mate). I sort of miss it. You get to know a lot of people. I lived in what was called the International House because I was a foreign student and there were people fro mall over the world. I got to know people from Germany, Japan, Turkey, even Iran. Even if it's just a regular dorm you learn a lot living with others. If it's free then go for it. I had to pay 800 Canadian dollars a month for my small dorm room. Which is about the same as I pay for my much larger apartment here back home in Sweden, but it was still a great experience.
Living in a dorm is probably the best way to experience the social aspects of a university. However, if you want to do really well, living by yourself will keep distractions to a minimum and allow you to study. Also, if you live by yourself, you don't have to worry about getting a terrible roommate.
@MaddProdigy: Renting a place is awesome, but I would recommend it for your first year or two. Getting into a house with a few people closes your social circle and gives you the option of not really meeting anyone else. Dorms are an awesome way to meet a lot of people. Then, when you've got a nice big network of people and have found your close "group", a house is totally the way to go.
I commuted when I was in college and I kind of regret it now. Even if you only live on campus for a semester or two, it will be a lot easier to meet people and money obviously isn't an issue for you, so why not? You can always leave if you don't like it.
@EpicSteve: Holy shit, man. If you can live there FREE? HELL yes you should! I had to play an exorbitant amount to live in a dorm my first year. It's a weird experience, especially for someone as introverted as me, cause it forces you to meet people and make friends by cramming you into a fairly small space with a lot of them. It's tough, but overall it socializes you up REAL quick.
A bad roommate could completely ruin your experience. Personally, I'm moving out of my dorm because anything I do is always off campus and it sucks not living near that stuff.
I lived in a dorm for my first two years, &I say do it. Definitely do it. Take the opportunity while it's there. Whilst dorm life may be something you eventually feel yourself growing out of, the experience in the meantime is absolutely worth it. If it's not for you, you can move out whenever you choose
For your first year, I would highly recommend it. It's a good way to meet people, and it's even better if your dorm has a cafeteria, 'cause then you never have to worry about food costs or the extra time it takes to cook. If you get a single, you don't have to worry about cleaning up after other people (which is almost guaranteed to be a problem should you choose to live in an off-campus house with other people).
Depends on the kind of dorm you will be living in. Dorms populated by graduate students usually tend to be much quieter and laid back than dorms filled with undergraduates. I would still suggest living in an apartment away from the University, since continuously being surrounded by an environment under which you are supposed to study and relax at the same time can be quite stressful to one's psyche at times.
But overall this decision is dependent on your financial status. IF you can afford to live away, then do so.
Yes, for Christ's sake do it. I made the mistake of commuting to school my freshman year and it's probably one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. For fuck's sake do it!!!!
I want to know HOW you are getting all of this free. That is a ridiculous steal. I spent my first year at college on campus in a dorm at it was definitely a very social environment and very fun. However, you are also prone to having issues with distractions whether it be noise, people tempting you to hang out and go do things, and possibly other rowdy kids on campus. Dorm = social but possibly harder to study / off campus housing = less social opportunity but also less distraction. I say if it's free and your first year, definitely give it a shot. Good times to be had. Just don't be stupid and put fun ahead of study because that will bite you hard and fast.
" I can live in a dorm during school free of charge. Should I live on campus? My tuition and books are free as well, so regular living costs shouldn't hurt at all. Anyone have dorm experience? "
Do it for the first year, you make SO many friends in college in dorms.
once you have know some cool cats to get a place with off campus, do that then.
I have a question: do you want to be a social outcast?
It's much harder to get involved in the campus community and meet people when you commute, unless you're really close and easily can go to night and weekend on-campus events.
" @EpicSteve: Holy shit, man. If you can live there FREE? HELL yes you should! I had to play an exorbitant amount to live in a dorm my first year. It's a weird experience, especially for someone as introverted as me, cause it forces you to meet people and make friends by cramming you into a fairly small space with a lot of them. It's tough, but overall it socializes you up REAL quick. "
@EpicSteve: In that case, there's really no reason not to. It'll be cramped, but it's a really good transition to living on your own, though it sounds like you may have already had one of those. It's also a great way to meet new people.
It depends how old you are and what kind of dorm you're in. If you're older and more mature (judging by the Army thing I'm guessing yes), then living with a bunch of undergraduates will drive you crazy, guaranteed. Although maybe you like listening to 18 year olds get completely wasted and throw up while blasting Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus, in which case you should definitely live in a dorm.
For the whole good/bad roommate, you can always get a new one, that's what I did with my first roommate (though it was actually out of my control) My second roommate and I have been cool for a couple of years now.
Do it because it's free, but I was IMMENSELY happier after moving out of the dorms and into my own house. Even though my roommate was one of my best friends and our neighbors were pretty cool, I just couldn't stand that sort of living situation. But then again, maybe that's just me.
If you haven't lived on your own before and fancy trying it out, the sure, why not? It's free, so even if you don't like it and want to go back to your current arrangement (assuming that would still be an option) you've not lost anything. Some of my friends do it and enjoy the experience, they've made new friends and feel independent and such.
Yeah, hell yeah. You'll meet cool people and hopefully they'll stick around in your life after your first year. Didn't work out for me that way, but that's because girls are all kinds of drama.
Seriously though, you really don't have all that much to lose and a ton to gain by living in the dorm. Go for it.
Do it for your first year, maybe even your second. The people who are saying that your grades will suffer are idiots. Study in the library, don't come back to the dorm until you're done.
I live at home and go to college, so I wouldn't know. I'm the type that enjoys solitude when solitude is necessary, so that can be part of the reason why I don't live at a dorm.
It's something you have to think long and hard about. Personally I would say no, if you are functioning adult, who knows hot to cook and clean for yourself and can manage basic finances then you're all set. The reason I am dead set against dorms is because they can cause "prison syndrome" (which is a spin of of situation depression) For some people living in dorms can be a horrible experience, especially if they have are used to fending for themselves. What happens is, when the sense of freedom and individuality is lost, and very strict rolls and regulations are set it, it can cause crushing depression, because of the huge change. Happened to me man, it sucks. The best option is to live in "non-traditional" housing. Which, if your school offers it, is basically apartments owned by the school and the rent goes on your tuition. That's what I am doing and it feels a lot better. If you have any questions or anything PM me, always happy to help a fellow duder out
Live in the dorm. Ive met some awesome people my freshman year, and 7 of them and I are living together in a house with one another next year. Living in a dorm is a must freshman year.
Not to mention it's like living with a bunch of five year olds in a eight story trailer park with tweaking junkies in the hallways. Dorms are largely filled with immature douche bags. I made a lot of friends just from classes. Never had social problems in my life
@EpicSteve: You should definitely live in the dorm for your first year, or at the very least your first semester. It's an experience you'll never have the chance to have again.
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