Entering your first year in a dorm is intimidating. You’re suddenly living with someone that you are completely unfamiliar with, in a small room with bathrooms that never quite feel clean. Don’t freak out too much though. There are ways to make sure that you can make the most out of your time in Winthrop’s dorms.
Make friends with the people on your hall. Leave your door open or host a game night with Uno or Cards Against Humanity so you and your hallmates can get to know each other. These are the people that you will be seeing constantly and there is nothing better than being able to walk down the hall, knock on a door and see one of your best friends.
Utilize hall kitchens. You might have a meal plan, but if you ask any upperclassman, they’ll tell you that DiGs and Thomson get boring and you’ll start to miss home cooking. If you can’t afford to buy a bunch of pots and pans, connect with your hallmates. See if other people would like to pitch in and then share them. Not only will you have amazing food, but you’ll be connecting to the people around you.
Always keep open communication with your roommate. Don’t leave passive-aggressive notes about going to sleep earlier or cleaning the bathroom, as this will only affect you negatively and make your living situation uncomfortable. Being open is hard and uncomfortable, but once the doors to that communication are unlocked, you and your roommate can be honest all the time and not feel guilty for expressing feelings.
Be sure to connect with your RA. RAs aren’t only there to keep you following the rules. They also want to offer you support and be your friend. Don’t forget that they’re students too and that they have experienced a lot of the same fears and issues you might be facing and have learned how to deal with it. They’re trained to know almost everything about the campus, so ask them questions and even if they don’t know the answers, they most likely know someone that does.
Organize, organize, organize. Keep your dorm room organized with drawers and bins. If your space is a mess, it will start to feel like everything else is a mess. Get a planner. Trying to keep your dates straight in your head without writing them down is only going to confuse you. Set yourself up for success by organizing your space and your schedule so you can have an amazing semester.
Finally, learn when to say no. Being in college is overwhelming for a lot of reasons. On top of your schoolwork, you’re probably getting involved in clubs and making new friends. All of these things add up and if you spread yourself too thin you will start to feel like you aren’t succeeding with any of it. Learn when you need some time alone to relax with some ice cream and Netflix. It’s hard to say no, especially when you feel like you’ll be missing out on something, but taking care of yourself should be your first priority.
Living on campus doesn’t have to be as scary as you might’ve heard. Learning how to balance your life in a dorm will be a challenging process, but finding that sweet spot will help you get the most out of your time at Winthrop.
