Why dorm life is an important part of college

June 8, 2012

When you're accepted at most schools, you'll be given a choice as to whether you want to pay for just your education or your education plus room and board. Room and board essentially means living in a dorm and having access to the school dining halls, so are you shelling out a whole lot more money just for a place to sleep and underwhelming food? Why not commute from home, or find living off campus at a similar rate? At least then you'd have your privacy.

It's an attractive idea, but dorm life is an essential part of college. As a college freshman - and likely through your entire education - dorm living can be the most important social decision you make. Brushing your teeth in a communal bathroom might not seem important - might even seem like a pain - but sometimes, it's the best way to make friends. Consider these suggestions for dorm living, and how to mitigate the costs of room and board.

1. The parties. Parties and dorms are usually open to all students, on and off-campus alike, but if you're going to enjoy dancing until 2am, it's nice to know your bed is close by. Parties can also get intense and extremely exhausting - having your personal space a building or several floors away can make all the difference between having fun and being an anxious wreck.

2. The not-parties. While you can certainly hit up a party and then head back to your off campus housing, you're much less likely to have the sort of one-on-one or small group chats that germinate in common rooms and dorms during the afternoon or well past 5am. These sorts of spontaneous experiences are the ones you'll remember long after graduation.

3. The camaraderie. Whether you and your roommate are trying to pull an all-nighter, getting ready to cheer on the football team or just kicking back and watching a movie together - camaraderie, among roommates, dorms and the campus in general is one of the greatest parts about living on campus. Dorm life is, for all intents and purposes, family life.

4. Scholarships. But yes, college can be expensive. This is why you should consider searching out any and all scholarship opportunities open to you. Scholarships and grants for college can help you with the cost of education, textbooks and room and board. Seek them out.

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