Do you dorm for college???

[Scarpozzi]

Oddly enough, my college experience was living in apartments for 2 years...then I moved off campus.

Freshman year, I lived in a 2 bedroom apartment that had 2 beds in each room. So I had a roommate. It made dating a challenge... But, once I moved into the newer apartments on campus where I had my own door that I could close, I realized that the residents were more difficult to hang out with. Everyone was in their room listening to music or watching TV instead of hanging out.

If you can live in a dorm situation where you have to share your space with others, you can meet some cool people that way and make some good friends. It's worth it for at least a year.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Freshman year, I lived in a 2 bedroom apartment that had 2 beds in each room. So I had a roommate.

How did that work out?

 

[Electric Amish]

I never did. My friend and I rented an apartment off-campus...at least for the year I went to college before I was married.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: Deeko
I did my freshman year - and sophomore year I lived in a big on-campus apartment complex which was essentially a dorm with less rules (in fact the first 4 floors of the 17 floor building was owned by the school).

I highly, highly recommend it. Are the rooms small and not always the best? Yes. Does it generally mean you'll be stuck with a college meal plan too? Yes. It is worth it. You meet so many people in the dorms - my best friends through 5 years of college were the people on my floor freshman year. Plus, you grow a lot and learn a lot about life as a whole when you don't live at home - something commuters really miss out on in college.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Why can't you get those same interactions in an apartment complex? It's great that you made friends in your dorm, but it was YOU that made those friends, not just living in a dorm. You can make friends no matter where you live; in particular, apartment complexes near campus are going to be all students anyway, so the experience should be nearly identical (but fewer rules; don't have to worry about getting busted for a hot plate or a bottle of whiskey in your closet)

It's harder in an apartment complex because the dorms are usually all open to an interior space where apartments don't.

Likewise in apartments you are sharing space with a mixed demographic...even if near a big school (my UF apartment was a 10 min bike ride to campus) you will have old people, families, etc.

Dorms have common areas as well that tend to brainstorm 'things'.

I wish I did a year in the dorms.

 

[intogamer]

Well I live in Metro Boston, so I can basically take public transportation or drive to the near by universities and colleges.

 

[Saint Michael]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: Deeko
I did my freshman year - and sophomore year I lived in a big on-campus apartment complex which was essentially a dorm with less rules (in fact the first 4 floors of the 17 floor building was owned by the school).

I highly, highly recommend it. Are the rooms small and not always the best? Yes. Does it generally mean you'll be stuck with a college meal plan too? Yes. It is worth it. You meet so many people in the dorms - my best friends through 5 years of college were the people on my floor freshman year. Plus, you grow a lot and learn a lot about life as a whole when you don't live at home - something commuters really miss out on in college.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Why can't you get those same interactions in an apartment complex? It's great that you made friends in your dorm, but it was YOU that made those friends, not just living in a dorm. You can make friends no matter where you live; in particular, apartment complexes near campus are going to be all students anyway, so the experience should be nearly identical (but fewer rules; don't have to worry about getting busted for a hot plate or a bottle of whiskey in your closet)

Er... because when you're living with other students you have similar interests (school), similar schedules (school), and similar priorities (hopefully school). It makes sense that the social dynamic will be more inviting and rewarding when you are living amongst other students.

 

[TXHokie]

My best college memories were in the dorm first two years. Beer, matches, firecrackers, oh my.

 

[Q]

Well OP, what are you thinking of doing?

 

[meltdown75]

i dormed for my first year of uni...

coed res, 500 students... party time

beer on ice - check
towel under the door - check
party time - check
check - check

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
i dormed for my first year of uni...

coed res, 500 students... party time

beer on ice - check
towel under the door - check
party time - check
check - check

Towel under the door?

 

[skace]

To stop the smoke / smell

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Well OP, what are you thinking of doing?

I'm leaning towards dorm... but college wont' come for a while.

For party time and stuff is it better to go to a significantly larger college? Or there will always be parties anywhere?

 

[gamepad]

Not me.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Dorm, yes. Would I go back to it? Maybe... maybe not. I hated it at first, and I was glad to get the hell out. Now that I look back at it I would've done things differently, but definitely I would've had more fun if I could go back to it all now.

Do I recommend it? Yes. You're either gonna love it or hate it. If you hate it, stick it out. It's only one year. You'll look back at it and laugh at all the memories, even if it wasn't that great. My study skills from high school went down the drain with my first year. Now that they haven't gotten much better and I'm about to graduate, I don't really look back and say "Damn, first year ruined my grades." Really I ruined my own grades, so if I'm still just as bad at getting work done in my own quiet room, I can't complain about my freshman year.

I think the best way to make a good life out of the dorms is to find out the secrets to a good life. I didn't figure out library to study and room to party/socialize until too late. Hey, figure that out early, and you'll keep your academics and social life in shape. Seriously, that's why I would do it all over again. Would I stick with it for all 4 years? Probably not. I've lived in an apartment for 2.5 years now. My first year in the dorms was hell to me. When I got out I lived with 3 other guys. That wasn't too great either although it was way better than the dorms. Now I live with a girl in a 2 BR place. It's great. I love my own room and I'm more than happy with college life. When I left the dorms I swore I would get the hell away from those people who I thought were CSU/JC level kids that I could never understand would get into a place like Berkeley. But now that I'm way past that every chance I get to meet up with those old dormmates of mine, I try. Sure they may not be my best friends and probably never will be but they're great guys to hang out with and to chill with.

Finally, to answer the OP's most recent question, you're here to study, not to party. IF you want parties, you'll get them EVERYWHERE. Sure we at Cal do not have the same quality parties they do at UCSB, but we do have better parties than StanFUrd I assure you, and many other schools just because we're a large university. I think you'll be happy with the party atmosphere almost anywhere you go. I'm sure you could find parties even at a place like Caltech...