I’m a freshman and I’ve been thinking a bit about switching dorms. But I’m a bit nervous because I wouldn’t know anyone in the dorm I would want to switch to. So I was just wondering, how normal or often do people switch dorms at MIT? and do people usually switch dorms because they have friends living there or does it not matter as much usually?
Switching dorms, or moving to a frat/ILG/off campus is fairly common, although I and lots of people I know have lived in the same dorm throughout.
Usually the most common reasons for switching dorms at MIT (that I’ve seen) are:
*closer to main campus
*culture
*most friends live there
*Bexley and New House relocation (maybe this doesn’t count)
Did you know the people in the dorm where you are before you enrolled? If not, remember that almost everyone is meeting almost everyone else for the first time, and a new dorm situation would not truly be scary, just new.
Switching is clearly a part of the housing operations at MIT, as there is a protocol and timeframe to it, which you should look into. If I remember correctly, you may have just missed the waitlist for dorm switch where you are offered the option to say yes if something comes up, or no if you do not like it, and still remain on the list. The next type of option is, thinking back, one where those who look at the list can choose you, you can say ‘no,’ and then you’ve lost your opportunity to switch until the next round (your sophomore year).
Sometimes all it takes is a little more time for you to know whether you can have a place grow on you. Are you in a situation where a more desirable placement within your dorm may open next year, making that a better situation for you?