One of the most anticipated events of college is finding out who you’ll be living with your freshman year. You’ll most commonly have at least one roommate, but you may end up in a suite or you could be living alone. Your name will be entered into the housing lottery to create random pairings.
Since some dorms have larger rooms for groups and some are for one person, you might not have much say or control over where you end up. But no matter where you’re placed, keep an open mind — since each option offers its advantages.
You’ll more than likely find yourself living with a total stranger. He or she will most likely be pretty cool. Whether or not you become friends, you’ll at least have some company. Even if it’s just small talk, living alone can be lonely and living with a group can get overwhelming. Roommates can sometimes have little quirks — such as listening to music too loudly — that can be contained with a polite request. Others, such as snoring, probably can’t.
Think of the problems you won’t have if you find yourself living alone. Fortunately dorm rooms are so communal by nature that even if there’s just you in your room, you can be sure dorm mates will be visiting all the time.
Living with two or more roommates sounds like a lot of fun—and it sure can be! The biggest perk of living with a group in a dorm is that there’s always bound to be something going on. At least one other roommate will be looking for something to do — be it grabbing a meal or hitting the gym together. It may seem funny now, but it can be quite a relief to have someone to go “home” to tell about your day. That’s what roommates are for!
Regardless of which living situation you find yourself in, make the most of it. If you need alone time but end up in a suite, your campus still has plenty of areas where you can be alone. If you’re social and live in a single, there are many opportunities colleges offers for making new friends.
Enjoy the benefits of your living situation, no matter where you end up living. There’s one benefit that’s guaranteed: it’s better than being stuck home with mom and dad all the time, right?
— Keith Gillogly, DormCo
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