- Dorm experience*
Living in a college dorm is one of the great experiences of the college years. It is an experience that everyone should have. However, there are some guidelines to keep in mind. The dorms are cramped, and you will get to know the people on your hall and surrounding rooms very well. Sometimes a little too well, but you always have the option of shutting your door when you need some alone time. Students live so close to one another though that there is an opportunity for lasting friendships to form. Living on campus is great because you are already close to all your classes and on-campus dining locations. During my freshman year I lived in Graham-Hewlett at UNCW. I hated living there the first couple of weeks, but as I adjusted to the college atmosphere I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all rising college freshmen. Keep your room clean and be friendly!
Living in a dorm is different for everyone. For someone who is extrovert and outgoing, I would definitely recommend living on campus. But on the other hand, if you are someone who likes their own space, hates living in cramped spaces and can't be around the same people all day long, then the dorms are probably not for you. However, if you're a girl, the all-girl dorm, Belk, may be a good fit for you if you'd prefer a less crazy environment but still want the experience of living in a dorm. Belk is much quieter, which makes it very easy to study while in your own space instead of walking to the library just to focus. Even though it's all girls, everyone is very nice and they'll all in the same boat looking for new friends on their hall, so don't be shy! It is a experience that I am very grateful for. You make friends in those tiny little rooms that last a life time along with memories that you can always look back on. The dorms are a place of a lot of interactions with friends happen. If you aren't sure if you're a dorm person, face your fears and try it out. You will probably end up loving it. Fingers crossed for a nice roommate!
*Upper-Classmen Dorm Housing*
While living in freshman dorms is a new experience in itself, living on campus for your second year and beyond is a fun experience as well. You get a lot more freedom than the freshman dorms, such as your own living room, dining room, and kitchen. You also get your own room! The options on campus include:
- University Apartments
- Seahawk Village
- Seahawk Landing
- Seahawk Crossing
- The Suites
These are all wonderful choices. Many people chose to stay on campus because it helps them get to classes easier than if you live farther away and you are always around many friends. Take these options into consideration after your freshman year!
- What if you don't like your roommate?
Some people like their roommate because they chose them, but some people do random roommate assignments. If you do random roommate, there is a possibility that you won't like your roommate. If you do that's great, but if not, here are some tips. After a couple weeks of getting to know each other and you can tell you two are very different its good to lay some ground rules down. For example, It's good to discuss how late each of you stay up because if one roommate is a night owl and one's an early bird it might not always work out smoothly. So it's better that you guys realize that one stays up later, so one can study in the library some nights instead of all night in your dorm with the light on. It's good to discuss that you guys will always be respectful and quiet when the other is sleeping. Also, you'll probably share stuff such as the trashcan and it's good to have a schedule of who takes it out to avoid drama. You want to minimize as much drama as possible it's your first year of college you want to enjoy it! If you aren't upfront about respecting each other's stuff and each other in general it's going to build up and cause a difficult confrontation. The more you and your roommate get along your freshman year or first semester the better! Also, remember after one semester you can switch rooms/roommates.
