Living in a dorm has taught me so many things – staying organized, being resourceful, making compromises – that I could not have learned otherwise. In that sense, I am grateful for having the opportunity to live in university housing and get the dorm experience.
However, there are definitely some downsides to living in a hall-style residence which I have gotten used to but nonetheless still dislike. At moments when I hate dorm life the most, I cheer myself up by thinking of the enticing perks of living in an apartment next year.
1. Not needing a card/passcode to enter your room
I understand it’s for security, but it gets annoying after a while. Not to mention getting locked out too often because you sauntered to the bathroom while obliviously forgetting your card and phone in your room. Commence Mission Knock on Hallmates’ Doors For Help.
2. Having a bigger room
Living in a dorm definitely humbled me regarding living space. You realize that you actually don’t need that much space for a room – after all, there are facilities elsewhere on campus if you need to work out or spread out all your textbooks and notes. You also quickly prioritize what things you actually need to keep with you at college (hopefully). That being said, who would complain about getting a slightly larger room where you can feel a little less claustrophobic? Definitely not me.
3. Having your own room
This is not a given of apartment living, but it’s often true. Again, sharing a room with someone is a valuable experience that can teach you a lot, but sometimes it’s just better to have your own space – whether it be for studying, sleeping, or jamming out.
4. Not having to climb onto your bed like you’re a contestant on 'Survivor'
I understand why dorm beds are made so high – to give us more storage space. That’s great, but the tradeoff is that getting onto your bed is a struggle. Okay, it’s not really a struggle (thank God for ottomans!), but not having to take that extra step when you wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom would be great.
5. Being able to store your toiletries in the bathroom
This is huge. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I always feel really awkward carrying all my stuff to the bathroom. I use a caddy, but it’s still just… clumsy. Imagining just walking into the apartment bathroom with my stuff already there, I feel mind blown. We take so much for granted!
6. Being closer to the bathroom
As my tough luck would have it, my dorm room is pretty far from the bathroom. But the distance is less of a problem than the three turns the hall takes us through to get there (don’t ask me… the dorm was built in the 90’s. I wish the architects thought a bit more about inertia while they planned it). Again, we take so much for granted.
7. Sharing a bathroom with fewer people
I’m not complaining about my hallmates; we’ve definitely had some great conversations in the bathroom. But sharing with more than 20 people inevitably leads to some gross situations. Luckily, it seems like we’re doing a pretty good job given some of the stories I’ve heard. But when you share a bathroom with fewer people, it’s easier to reach agreements about whose stuff is going where, who’s going to use what when, and (most importantly) who’s going to clean when.
Obviously, living in an apartment isn’t utopia, but there are some things that make it better than being in a dorm. But “live in the moment,” as they say – which I’m going to do before I realize that there are some parts of dorm life I’ll definitely miss when I move on to an apartment.
