How to Be Popular in a College Dorm

Living in a college dorm provides a social education like classes provide an academic education. Let’s face it: you probably want to be popular in your college dorm more than you want to be smart in freshman English. Here’s how to make the most of communal living during the best years of your life.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A good relationship with your RA
• Mini-fridge and snacks
• DVD collection

1. Leave your door open. College dorms are social drop-in places, and you want to let the people on your floor know that you’re accessible. Likewise, you’ll probably want to make the rounds and drop in on your new neighbors.

2. Expand your circle beyond your roommate and suitemates. Being popular in a college dorm is about having a lot of friends, and if you always hang out with the same few people, you’ll give the impression that you’re part of a clique.

3. Get involved in dorm activities. If your dorm is having game night in the common room, go and hang out. Better yet, get involved in planning the activities so you’ll always know what’s going on.

4. Bribe people with food and entertainment. A stocked mini-fridge and great movie collection in your dorm room guarantee instant popularity, albeit a shallow kind. Make your dorm room the place where people know they can get a snack or see a movie, and the people will come to you.

5. Initiate social activities off campus. Once you all have settled into college life, spending every night in the dorm can seem a little monotonous. Find out what’s going on nearby and arrange an outing for your dorm mates.

6. Celebrate holidays. If the guy down the hall is having a birthday, throw him a surprise party. Make an Easter egg hunt for your floor. Throw a Seder in the communal kitchen. Everyone loves someone who can get a group together to celebrate something, and people will come no matter what the occasion.

7. Establish a good relationship with the Resident Advisor. You’ll be able to get away with a lot more in your room if your RA knows you and likes you.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t spend your whole college fund trying to be popular with your dorm mates. If you feel like people may be taking advantage of your hospitality, ask them to chip in for food and party fixings. Anyone unwilling to contribute or who always expects you to pony up isn’t really your friend.
• Attend orientation if you can. A lot of friendships are made that first week before school even starts.
• A fake ID and access to alcohol is an easy but dangerous way to be popular in your college dorm. Most dorms have no-alcohol rules and a zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking. Don’t sacrifice your education for the sake of popularity.

[andyg08]

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