Pro Tips for Living on Campus
Living on campus is a great way to stay on top of your homework, meet and connect with people, and fully experience college life.
However, there are some things that you may want to avoid if you’re a new student living on campus. Here is a brief list of Do’s and Don’ts for successful residence hall living.
DO: Establish a roommate agreement.
The hard truth is, not everyone is going to get along with their roommate. Hopefully that doesn’t happen to you, and your roommate experience is great. However, it’s important either way to set some sort of boundaries – like what you can share and what is off limits, when each of you usually likes to go to bed, or how messy or clean each of you are. Having roommate issues can make college much more difficult than it needs to be.
DON’T: Disrupt your hall by being loud during quiet hours.
Nobody likes the person that keeps them up all night during quiet hours. It’s no secret that the walls in the residential halls are paper-thin and almost every little noise can be heard through them. Be considerate of those trying to study or sleep and do your best not to stomp around in your dorm or raise your voice in the hallway after quiet hours have begun.
DO: Attend on-campus events and activities.
Take advantage of your close proximity to everything on campus by attending things like athletic events, guest speakers, and music and theatre performances. These activities will enhance your Cobber experience and allow you to show support for your fellow students. Most of the time these events are free to students, so why not go?
DO: Ration out your Dining Dollars.
Nobody loves the fries at The Maize more than I do, but it’s very important not to spend all of your Dining Dollars right away. It’s easy to rely on the Korn Krib for your groceries and The Maize for a quick meal when you don’t feel like eating at DS, but those Dining Dollars can be dangerous and tough to save. Before you know it, you’re all out with half a semester to go.
DON’T: Burn yourself out.
Living on campus, you have access to so many great activities, clubs, and events, and are close to many locations to do homework or study. However, don’t burn yourself out with too many late nights studying and being too involved. Having a laidback night to yourself or doing something fun off campus is a great way to take a break from the stress of being a college student and will go a long way in maintaining your mental health.
DO: Keep your room clean.
This is pretty self-explanatory and your roommate will thank you for this one. Keeping your room tidy is a good way to stay organized and on top of your academic life but will also help you avoid major roommate issues. Unless, of course, your roommate is also a slob like you.
DON’T: Lock yourself out of your dorm room.
It’s very easy to forget that your door can automatically lock when you leave the room, so make sure every time you leave that your door is either unlocked or that you have a key to get back in. This particularly comes in handy when you’re taking a shower in the hall bathroom and have nothing but a towel on, standing in the hallway, locked out of your room. Save yourself a half-naked trip to the RA’s room by making sure you won’t lock yourself out when you leave.
Last Updated August 2021