How to Survive in the Dorm: Advice for Freshmen from Seniors

Probably some of your relatives even lived in such “beautiful” and “cozy” dormitories, where there is almost no personal space, and the concept of “common” reached obscene proportions. Here is some advice from senior students on how to survive in the dormitory as a freshman.

Tips Before You Move into the Dorms

Tip #1:

Prepare your bedding before you move in. First, not everywhere offers standard kits. Secondly, to sleep on their own is much more pleasant than that is washed almost to the holes (I cannot imagine what they could do on it).

Tip #2:

Slippers are a must. Moving around in shoes is not a good idea. Going to the same shower or toilet barefoot is also not an option, you can pick up some fungus. Do you need it. Grab a pair of cool sneakers as well. Sneakers are must these days as they can be paired up with anything. Make sure sneakers support your feet as you get to walk a lot during the college time. Fashion sneakers for women from Loom Footwear are great for college people. The best part is these are waterproof so your feet will be safe and dry, no matter what the weather is.

Tip #3:

The kitchen is one of the most popular places in the dorm. Remember the main rule: “a well-fed student is a successful and happy student,” so you should take the kitchen responsibly. Be sure to buy your cutlery and label it so that not only you, but other students know that it is yours. A bright indelible marker can help.

Tip #4:

Useful little things that not everyone realizes. In the lists of useful things that do not immediately come to mind, you can find many interesting and useful for living in a dorm: extension cord or tee, household chemicals, a bucket with bags for garbage, tape with glue, hangers, handy mop for cleaning floors (believe me, the one that will – terrible), thread and needles to stitch something. Of course, you can invite a girl over to help with the sewing, but not everyone has that option.

Tip #5:

Underestimate the importance of medicine. A first aid kit should be in every room, full of basic medical supplies. We recommend having at least: bandages, peroxide, iodine and broom, head and stomach pills, antipyretics, and then as you see fit.

Rules of Living in the Dormitory

So, let’s assume that you were able to comply with all the tips, and now you move into the hostel, get acquainted with the neighbors, what awaits you next?

Rule #1: Remember that you do not live alone.

Each person is unique in his or her way: habits, behavior, mannerisms, and even the way he or she holds a spoon or fork. And with each of your neighbors or roommate, you have to find common ground, find common topics, and build boundaries, beyond which in no case can cross.

It is worth respecting your roommate’s personal space. Don’t make noise at night, don’t rattle in the morning, listen to music and watch movies with headphones, and let the phone play pleasant music that doesn’t make you nervous.

Rule #2: Nobody likes pigs, or cleans up after yourself at once.

Putting off cleaning is sure to make the pile grow bigger. This is especially true of dishes in the kitchen. The first one did not wash, then the other and the mountain begins to grow, and in addition to the terrible appearance of this pyramid, it will also spread far from the most pleasant aroma. It’s not that hard to eat and clean up after yourself right away, the main thing is to accustom yourself to it.

Rule #3: Don’t enter without knocking

Knocking in the dormitory is not just allowed, but necessary. In addition to trivial politeness, you can get into a situation where the attitude to the neighbor will change, and dramatically.

Rule #4: It’s better to work and do important study projects outside of your dorm.

As you already know, the dorm is not the quietest and most peaceful place, even your private room. So when you need to focus and direct all your thoughts in one direction, the best option is to escape to some co-working room, library, or just ask for help. For example, you can always buy essay instead of doing it.

Rule #5: No money, but you hang in there.

It is this quote from our now-former prime minister that is recommended to respond to requests to lend up to a stipend and so on. On the one hand, the advice is not the best, because the person may need help. But it is important to remember about yourself because you’re all in the same boat, and then why, all other things being equal, should someone borrow, if you barely have enough for yourself? If you don’t think about yourself, no one else will – the harsh truth of life.

Of course, if you trust the person 100% and are willing to go through the fire, water, and brass pipes for him, then it’s a sin not to help him. But if you are not sure that you will get your money back, it’s better not to lend. After all, as you know, the student is an extremely poor creature.

Rule #6: Dormitory has everything and more.

The dorm is better than any hypermarket, if you have the right desire, you can find everything. Need medicine at 3 am? You’ll find it! Carved snowflakes in July? Somebody’s got some! Salt, sugar, cigarettes, matches, a box: all of this you can find at one of the neighbors if you know where to look for it and have a good relationship with everyone. About this, by the way, is our next rule.

Rule #7: You can be by yourself, but it’s more fun to be with a peer.

Sure, it’s cool to be lonely, but it’s not welcome in a dorm, because at some point you might need help. This advice applies not just to dorm life, but all of life.

In addition to helping you through your studies, you can make friends who will go along with you for the rest of your life. Plus, the opportunity to make connections that can be useful in the future, after you graduate. Maybe someone will recommend you to their bosses, or that someone will become a boss himself and call you to him. Anything in life happens and you should not miss such an opportunity.

Rule #8: Gossip was, is, and will be, you should not pay attention to it.

Unfortunately, life in the dorm is not separated from rumors and gossip, there is no getting away from them, especially if you are popular. Someone will be jealous, someone saw, misunderstood, shared with a friend, and the rumor flew away. There are a lot of options, not everything is dissolved with malice.

Rule #9: Friendship with the Commandant is a great idea

If you don’t know who the Commandant is, he is the most important and in charge of the dormitory. Making friends with him you will open up a lot of possibilities: at some point, he will turn a blind eye that you have brought a girl or a guy to your place, or maybe you wanted to throw a little party in honor of a successfully passed session? Without a friendship with such a person, nothing will work out.

Rule #10: Business before pleasure.

The right time management is what a student needs. A good student knows how to allocate his time perfectly, he knows when he needs to attend to his studies, and when he can go with his girlfriend to the cinema or with friends to a bar. Know how to not only study well but also to have a proper rest, the two concepts are inextricably linked.

And the most important rule to remember: “Of all the rules there are exceptions, and some are created to break them. So don’t take the advice handed out by students as the truth of last resort. Treat it more like an opinion worth taking into account, but not ill.