Wonder how you to survive dorm life for 2 or 4 years? Our guide will help you!

It’s finally time — and this time may come differently for everyone. Some young people graduate from high school to immediately leave home to go to college, others stay close to home for personal reasons. But most students will ultimately have to live in a dorm some time.

This article will walk you through the ups and downs of such a lifestyle with tips on how to survive dorm life.

Entering a college dorm for the first time can be intimidating: new students, rolling carts stacked with boxes and smiling parents milling all around. You can see older students trying to warn the newbies of what’s to come, but to no avail. The new students are signing up to get keys and walk into the room they will live for the next two to four years.

This will be their home away from home, where colleagues will become your immediate family.

Here are a few Dorm Survival Guidelines that will help you keep your sanity through college dorm life:

Roommate Rules

Establish them! Rules are meant to be followed and respected and you will be living most commonly with a stranger. Let the roommate know of your boundaries and set limits by getting together during the first week and drafting a list of rules. If he/she knows beforehand you like to sleep in on weekends, they won’t (or will try) to not disturb you. Don’t assume just because you are roommates you are automatically best friends: ask to borrow things! And be clear about what’s off limits, like borrowing electronics like tablets or laptops. 

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Juggling Classes

You will definitely be taking more classes in colleges, and tougher courses! So being prepared is the first thing you need to be. Keep an agenda of daily events, as well as project due dates. Jot down details and keep track of your progress. A wall calendar is a great way to know how your week ahead looks and gives you a quick overview of the month. Try to attend any extracurricular demonstrations and seminars offered, even when they are not specifically connected to your major. This will make you a well-rounded professional and expand your knowledge of the world!

Social Life

College is all about learning, but learning how to Network is one of the biggest lessons you will take away from your education. Don’t hang out with the same crowd. Expand your circle. Talk to your professors after class, not precisely about projects due but really get to know them and how they made it as far as they have.

Family Ties

Don’t lose touch with your family! Your parents want to hear all about your thousand page project and may even have some great advice to give you. Oh and the best part? Moms are great at sending care packages, so keep her happy with a phone call once or twice a week! Calling your grandparents, even though it at times seems like work, is a great way to be motivated because they will only be proud of you, even if all you did is write 500 words on the movie “Dude, where’s my car?”

Good Eats

Staying healthy during college years is a task and should not be put aside. Try to stock your dorm room with healthy snacks you love and try to cut down on eating out or ordering in. All those slices of late night pizza and leftover Chinese food go straight to your tummy and definitely make you gain the freshmen 15! Make better food choices and you will have more energy and stamina! But let’s also be realistic and know that a jar of Nutella will make your dorm life even better!

Keep all these guidelines in mind and your dorm life will be great. Just be sure to remember to study.

References:
College Dorm Life
SparkCollege: Dorm Life