College Life: 8 Great Reasons to Stay in a Dorm

One of the quintessential college experiences is living in a dorm—at least for a year. Many college students actually find that dorm accommodations are ideal for beyond the freshman year for a variety of reasons. If you’re heading off to college, the following eight reasons are just a few benefits of living in a dorm.

Meet People

One of the best reasons to live in a dorm during the first couple years of college is to meet lots of new people. You’ll discover a myriad of personalities in the dorm—some pleasant, some not, but you’ll build up your network of acquaintances and enrich your life with many new friends simply by living among other college students.

Clean Environment

One of the best reasons to live in a dorm: someone else cleans the bathrooms! While it’s your responsibility to keep your dorm room clean, in most cases, the university staff makes sure the bathroom and common areas are well tended and sanitized. After all, you’ve got to pass math class! You don’t have time to clean toilets.

Safety

Colleges and universities put a lot of effort into maintaining the safety and security of dorms. Most parents, of course, find this aspect of college quite comforting. Living off campus, unfortunately, does not typically afford the same level of security. Many colleges even have surveillance cameras that operate around dorms for added security.

Electronically Savvy

Today’s dorms have Wi-Fi and cable. If you live off-campus, you’ll likely have to pay for these services and their installation. Simply by living in a dorm, you’ll enjoy greater bandwidth and have the internet access you need to work on coursework and connect with your friends and family back home. Although there is likely a fee for this bandwidth, it is rolled into the dorm cost, so you won’t be faced with separate—and more costly—bills for internet access.

Convenient Location

One great reason to live in a dorm is that it’s probably located on or very near campus. You don’t have to worry about transportation when you live on campus, and you’ll easily be able to get to class on time. It’s also convenient to live near other university buildings like the library, recreation center, and computer labs.

Positive Transition to Adulthood

Many students who attend college have never lived alone before. Living in a dorm room becomes a welcome transition to living as an adult. You’ll likely have a roommate and some dorm rules to follow. Rather than living completely independently, the dorm provides a great nurturing environment with its resident advisors (RAs), counselors, and other helpful staff.

Activities

Many dorms and dorm floors participate in various activities that help students get to know others and enjoy the social aspects of life at college. An interactive staff really understands how to make college kids feel right at home.

No Furniture to Move

When you live in a dorm, you don’t have to worry about moving a bed, couch, or other furnishings that can be costly to transport. Instead, you can simply pack your trunk of clothes and books and be on your merry way to school.

Of course, these are just a few reasons why you may want to hang your hat in a dorm room. You’ll like discover many other benefits to dorm living once you move in.

About the Author
Gloria Hart loves to read about all things interior design. When she’s not redecorating, she’s sharing what she’s found by posting online. You can find her articles on many of today’s DIY and home decor blogs and websites.