How to enjoy dorm life

You've made it to college, and you're going to live on campus. This can be a miserable experience... or it can be a great one. Here are some tips to make the most of your living situation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A positive attitude

1. Get in the right mindset. If you think of your room as a tiny prison, then that is what it will be. Instead, try to think of it as your own little niche in the campus. You are now part of a large, diverse community of people.

2. Meet everyone you can, especially in the beginning of the year. This is probably the only time that you will have so many close neighbors. Take advantage of it. You will feel much more at home if you arrive at your dorm and five different people stop to say hi to you.

3. Attend the programs. Whether it is dorm-wide or campus-wide, most colleges have something going on practically every night. Not only are they designed to teach you something, but they are a great way to meet people, hang out with friends, and possibly acquire some free food. Just think - free entertainment on a regular basis!

4. Take advantage of having RAs (resident assistants). They are often trained to help you in a wide variety of crises, ranging from anorexia to coming out of the closet. They can also help you with academic processes like dropping classes or changing majors. Your RA can be very helpful, but you have to talk to them.

5. Find things off-campus. There are probably several little shops or coffee houses nearby to enjoy. Try not to miss out on things just because they're not on campus. College towns have a lot to offer!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to call your parents, and occasionally visit. They love that.

[goldiec]

on 5/4/2009 Great article on enjoying dorm life!