Nancy Milne

Owner
Milne Collegiate Consulting

LIfe in the residence hall will provide you with memories for many years. Please don't treat your room as just a place to sleep/study. Take advantage of the programs organized by the RAs/student government/program council. This is a great way to meet others, expand your horizons, and make the place feel like home. Make sure you are a considerate neighbor, respecting policies. At the same time...

Pamela Hampton-Garland

Owner
Scholar Bound

Dorm Life

Be honest when you complete the application for roommates. Do not say you go to bed late if you don't, do not say you like to wake up early if you don't; most colleges try hard to pair students who have similar behaviors, likes and dislikes so be honest. Additionally, respect your roommate and require the same, remember that although you share this small space what is yours is yours, and what is...

Megan Dorsey

SAT Prep & College Advisor
College Prep LLC

Go in with an open mind and meet as many people as you can in the first month. Do not shut yourself away in your room talking or texting with high school friends or family members. If possible, leave your door propped open when you are studying or hanging out in your room to encourage people on your hall to drop in and say hi. If that doesn’t work, spend time each week hanging out in the lobby our...

Karen Ekman-Baur

Director of College Counseling
Leysin American School

Your dorm is going to represent your home for the time that you are living there, whether you choose to live in a dorm for only your first year or all the way through your college career, so you will want to get as much out of it and enjoy it as much as possible. Here are a few tips: - Try to establish a good relationship with your roommate(s). Hopefully, you will become good...

Reecy Aresty

College Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & Author
Payless For College, Inc.

Be a good roommate & dormie. Respect others, follow all the rules so you don't get put on probation, academic or otherwise!

Cheryl Millington

Hopefully, you were very good in your research and selected a school that is a good fit for you and this includes the dorm. So the ambience at the dorm should not be a surprise when you arrive on campus. There are differences in residences and it’s important to pick the one that’s best for you. The best advice to make the most of living in residence is to be involved and engage in dorm and campus...

Tyler Burton

President
Burton College Tours

Be zen once you are in and check it out in advance.

I always advise students on Burton College Tours to look into how each campus operates their dorms an if campus housing is guaranteed for all four years? What are the residential options on campus? Are there special dorms with themes like honors dorms, single sex, or international dorms? How about a vegetarian dorm complete with a kitchen? Residential life is a big part determining social fit when...

Wendy Andreen, PhD

College & Career Planning

Your First Home Away From Home

Living in a residence hall can be a great experience, especially for freshmen. There are both the physical and social aspects of dorm life. These days most roommates get acquainted before they ever step foot in a residence hall via Facebook. Girls color coordinate their rooms; guys figure out who has the largest TV to bring. Seriously, it provides a great transition from home to dorm when roommates can...

Nina Berler

Founder
unCommon Apps

Dorm life is one of the most wonderful aspects of college life, so what do you do to maximize the experience? You don't need to be best buddies with everyone on the dorm or everyone on your floor, but get to know a few people well. To that end, be friendly in the bathrooms, kitchens, lounge areas and laundry rooms of your dorm. If you're in a freshman dorm, it's easy to get to know people because so...

Laura Smith

Avoiding the freshman 15 is easier than you think. Just be smart. Soda is full of sugar and empty calories while organic juice is packed with vitamins and minerals you need, plus *gasp* carbohydrates that will help curb midday snacking. Watch out though, because some juices contain sugar and unhealthy artificial sweeteners. A good rule of thumb is to look at the ingredients and avoid anything that...