Traditional Style:
As a freshman, I lived in Wofford: one of the all-girls, traditional style dorms. At first, I was disappointed. I wanted to live in an apartment style dorm where I could have my own close-door room and my own bathroom, where I did not have to interact with anyone unless I actually wanted to. However, ending up in a traditional style dorm changed who I am as a person and changed how I connect with people for the better. I learned to be more interactive with new people and ended up meeting so many people who I would have never thought to approach before. Traditional style dorms come with their difficulties, like hall bathrooms and rare but cherished alone-time, but they also end up being eye-opening experiences for all types of people.
In order to live your best life in a traditional style dorm, you have to know your pet peeves and how to avoid letting them be set off. For instance, if you are absolutely not a morning person but your roommate has 8 a.m. classes everyday, try getting over–the–ear headphones and a sleeping mask. If the sun is your best friend and your roommate needs the room to be frigid cold, stock up on fuzzy socks and throw blankets and talk it out with your roommate to keep the room a happy medium. If you hate the lack of privacy, try hanging up tapestries under a lofted bed to have a small space to retreat to when things get to be too much. Remember that the key to keeping happy in a traditional style dorm is to talk it out with your roommate; you both have to compromise and respect each other.
Provided you have the funds, loft beds are a great way to save space in your room. Getting a loft was probably the single best decision I made for my room freshman year. I don’t know how I would have fit everything without it. It also lended a bit of privacy for naps, reading and homework, as I could just climb up into my loft while my roommate was at her desk.
There are other items—like headphones, a robe or laundry–drying racks—that can make life in a traditional style dorm a lot more comfortable, but aren’t totally necessary. All-in-all, a traditional style dorm is just like any other space: you have to make it your own. You don’t have to spend tons more money on your room to be happy. You just have to make the space that you live in a place you would be happy to return to. Part of that is opening yourself up to the people around you. A place in itself is never home: home will always be the people you choose to surround yourself with.
Apartment style:
Moving into an apartment style dorm, especially as a freshman, is exciting to say the least. You get your own room, no community bathroom, and just think of all of the wonderful Ikea trips you can take to furnish your new digs. It seems too good to be true- probably because it is. One week after move in you are sitting on your stiff couch, eating microwavable macaroni and cheese for the second time that week. You feel like you are not living the apartment life the way you thought, and that’s because you are doing it wrong.
That’s why I am here as a wise upperclassmen to let you in on all of the courtyard secrets. First and foremost- buy ample cleaning supplies. There is way more stuff to clean in an apartment style dorm so make sure you have something to clean the floors- you will need to buy something separate for the tile floor versus the carpet. Get glass cleaner, dish soap, a toilet bowl brush, and really good multipurpose cleaner. Nobody wants to live in a disgusting living area, plus you will get fined if you leave behind a dirty apartment at the end of the year.
Go to walmart or Target and buy the cheapest dishes available to you. You are going to need dishes to make it feel like a home, but you don’t want to spend too much because moving them back and forth every year can cause a lot of breakage.
Buy small appliances that you can use to cook in your apartment. I am in love with my crock pot. It prevents me from having to fight for a spot on the communal oven to cook my food, and I can let the food cook while I go to class. Also, if you do need to cook something in the kitchen, go on a Sunday morning when nobody is awake, and cook enough food to meal prep for the whole week.
Finally, buy some decorations for your common area. We always think of dorm shopping as just furnishing our rooms, but the common area will be the area where you hang out with your roomates, entertain guest, and spend a lot of time. You want it to look like a home because this is your home.
Contributors: Erin Streetman, Tea Franco