6 Tips for Freshmen Living in a Dorm

For college freshmen, dorm life is a new and exciting challenge. Most freshmen are adjusting to living away from home for the first time, and this provides new experiences and challenges. It’s a good time to make new friends, learn, and have a ton of fun becoming more independent. Although the transition can be rough, here are some tips that can help first-year students moving into a dorm for the first time.

1) Hang out in the lounge or common area.

It’s easy to make friends when you are playing ping-pong or watching TV in the lounge. This area is a great place for students to meet and get to know each other while having fun together. A lot of dorms will have couches or chairs set out for this purpose. Be sure to smile and engage others, and it’ll be easy to make new friends.

2) Leave your door open.

On a dorm floor, people are more likely to interact with you if you welcome them in. Even if you’re doing homework or surfing the web, leave the door open so that people can stop by. It’s easy to hang out and build friendships this way.

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3) Get to know your roommate.

Whether or not you have similar interests, it will be better for both of you if you can learn to communicate effectively. Do things with your roommate outside of the room, and you may even become great friends with them!

4) Be prepared to stay up late.

This one may be more for the guys, but most freshmen floors are still wide awake til 1 or 2 every night. No one really knows why college kids stay up so late, it’s just the excitement of freshman year that’s the thrill. If you are a morning person, get ready to deal with this, as there may be yelling or loud noises late at night.

5) Pick a good time each day to study.

Usually, in dorm rooms, it might be hard to concentrate on your studies in the evenings, when everyone is back from dinner. Choose a time earlier in the day that will allow you to study when it’s quiet.

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6) Go to dorm events.

Whether it’s a volleyball game or homecoming week, get involved with others in your dorm! This is a great way to meet new people as well as have a little fun. Attend concerts and other events with students in your dorm, and you’ll bond together as a group.

These are just a few tips to incoming freshmen living in a dorm for the first time. Stay open to new experiences, and you can build lifelong friendships while studying and living together with other students.