<p>I go to boarding school [so single-sex dorms and shower stalls], and I was really body conscious at first! I’d bring clothes to the bathroom and everything. Don’t worry, as the year wears on you [should] feel less body conscious. I for one just walk to the bathroom in a towel. And I don’t think it’s be that awkward to be in a co-ed dorm… I mean, a towel is basically like a strapless dress and a [not full length] robe still covers everything. </p>
<p>As for periods, I just put in a tampon right before the shower. I think I might look into that mooncup though, that looks nice!</p>
<p>Don’t worry, almost everyone is as nervous as you.</p>
<p>I had a canvas bag that I hung outside the shower, so I would walk into the shower in pajama pants and a top and just stick them around the curtain into the bag. Most girls just did the same with a towel instead of pajamas, but I wasn’t going to be the idiot running down the hall in my towel when the fire alarm goes off. XD Especially since we lived on a co-ed floor. I actually put a robe on over my pajamas a lot of the time. I can’t imagine walking past six different boys dorms with their doors open and wearing nothing but a towel.</p>
<p>Since I have nowhere to wash my dishes but in the sink, I’d be pretty upset if I saw someone washing a menstrual cup. Those things are pretty cool but I’m not sure how practical they are for a public bathroom situation. Since the showers at my school all share one drain, I would be pretty upset if blood ran across the floor of my stall, too.</p>
<p>I don’t know how everyone else did it but when I lived in a dorm, I did the following:</p>
<p>1) Exit my room and with a bullhorn, and shout to everyone in my hall that I would be taking a shower.
2) Parade up and down the hallway naked, while dragging an equally naked Butterball Turkey and reciting the Star Spangled Banner backward.
3) After yelling “light early dawn’s the by see you can say, Oh” I ballroom dance with my turkey.
4) Finally, because my religion does not believe in taking showers–I return to my dorm room and go to sleep. </p>
<p>im not to worried about the communal bathroom situation. i kinda wish i had a bathroom in my suite since it would be closer, but thats due to laziness. i’m comfortable wearing just a towel to the bathroom, taking it off once i get to the shower, and then dry off in the shower. i prob wouldnt be comfortable if everyone else wasnt, since i dont wanna be the only one willing to walk down the hallway in just a towel.</p>
<p>"question: is is still true that those who shower earlier get the hottest water or does that not apply to newer dorms anymore? "</p>
<p>In my dorm it was the opposite. The longer the water ran, the hotter it was. So when I showered at midnight, I was in great shape because people had been running the water all day and a whole ton of people had just showered at night. When I had to shower at 6-7 in the morning it was FREEZING even if I let the shower run for 20 minutes before getting in.</p>
<p>And then there’s always that one guy who will walk down the hall butt naked while he towels off his hair. Unnecessary and awkward. Especially when it’s Parents Weekend.</p>
<p>"question: is is still true that those who shower earlier get the hottest water or does that not apply to newer dorms anymore? "</p>
<p>No, not usually. There will always be some dorms that are older and/or quirky. But in my experience seems like most dorm showers are pretty good about water temperature.</p>