Dorm questions

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Well, my family has not any time in recent memory had a relative go to a college with dorms. I think I might have a cousin in one but she's several states away and we never talk, so I can't exactly ask her questions. </p>

<p>I have absolutely no clue what dorm life is like. So, I have a few questions.</p>

<p>How many outlets in a dorm room would I have available?
-Would it be necessary to bring a power strip to allow me to plug in computer, printer, mini-fridge, etc?</p>

<p>What are some things that I should bring to a dorm room?
-Blanket/sheets/pillows?
-Mini-fridge? With a lock?</p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have storage for things such as clothing?
-Should I bring some sort of bin to hold my possessions in?</p>

<p>Do roommates tend to be obnoxious?
-Is there any way to get out of having one?</p>

<p>How loud are dorms in general?
-Will I have trouble sleeping if I'm not a heavy sleeper?</p>

<p>How bad is the air-conditioning/heating (or lack-thereof)?
-Should I bring anything special to accomodate possible issues with these things?</p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have desks?</p>

<p>Do dorm buildings have Wi-Fi connections in general?
-Do I need to have something special in a laptop or desktop to get it connected to the internet? (I know nothing about computers.)</p>

<p>I think that's just about it for now. Thanks in advance for any help.</p>

2

<p>-You'll have 2 if you are in standard double or triple dorm, but you'll still want and need a power strip. You'll have a PC, printer, desk lamp, blow dryer, curling iron and/or straightener, cell charger, a fan, a fridge that you'll share with your roomies, and a tv you'll share with roomies. All of this stuff has to be plugged in somewhere. You'll probably have one if you are in a forced triple or a lounge converted into a makeshift dorm.</p>

<p>This is a list of the basics that you'll use in a dorm:
Alarm clock (with battery back-up)
Desk lamp with metal shade
Metal waste paper basket
Posters, or other decorating items with hanging devices
Cell phone and charger or a calling card.
Heavy duty extension cord, with surge protector for computer
Include Residence Hall Room on Home Owners' Insurance
Towels and washclothes
Mattress pad, pillow, bedspread, blankets and sheets (find out if the bed is twin or twin XL before you shop)
Laundry basket/duffel bag, laundry detergent, fabric softener
Hangers
Blow dryer, curling iron, etc.
Shampoo, soap and a plastic soap dish, and a tote to carry bathroon essentials to and from the shower
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and facial tissues
Medications, bandages, Tylenol<br>
Social Security number
Computer/word processor, if you have one. There are public computer labs if you don't
Pens, pencils, highlighters, scotch and masking tape, scissors, paper clips, stapler, duck tape
TV
Area rug
Snacks
Some schools give you a fridge(mine does), some don't. You can rent one at a lot of schools one move-in day. Don't lock for 2 reasons: you'll most likely be sharing it with roomies and it will make you look closed off if you can't even share food. Most people will not take your food because they don't want it and have their own, but offering it to them is the polite thing to do.
-You'll get a least half a closet and a dresser. It depends on the school and the demand for on-campus housing. If you are at a school where everyone wants to be in the dorms, then living space will be tight.
-You'll fill out a questionaire about yourself so that you're roomie will have as many things in common with you as possible. Some schools pay more attention to students' preferances than others. I've had good luck with both of my this year's and last year's roomies. We aren't best friends or anything, but we live together blissfully. In most cases, roommates tolerate each other enough to get through the year, but some can't stand each other and someone moves out ASAP. You won't know what will happen until you've talked to your roomie(s) next summer and you meet her/them next year. Hopefully you'll get a good match.
Some schools have singles for freshmen, most don't. I would recommend having a roommate for at least the first year because you learn a lot and you meet more people that way.
-Dorms are pretty good noise-wise. Weekends can be loud though. I've never had a problem falling and staying asleep.
-Old dorms won't have AC, so bring at least one fan. There's always heat; it's illegal to deny people heat.
-Yep, you'll have a desk with 2 or three drawers.
-New dorms will have wireless, old dorms will have high speed internet. You'll need a wireless card for wireless and an ethernet cord for high speed. </p>

<p>I strongly urge you to take tours of schools and see the dorms. It will give you a much better sense of the options that are out there and what dorm life is like. Have fun!</p>

3

<p>First, yes, a power strip is definitely necessary. Maybe two.</p>

<p>Rather than answer what you need to bring, it's probably a lot easier to address what's usually there. Most dorm rooms come with a bed, a desk, a desk chair, a dresser of some sort, and a closet. Some include a microfridge (mine does), but not all, so that depends on the college. Pretty much everything else, you need to bring.</p>

<p>Very few people love their roommates all the time. When people are living in close quarters, they're bound to get on each others nerves some of the time. That said, I think most people have fairly good relationships with their roommates. I'm in my fourth year of college and have a single now, but I'm still really good friends with my randomly-paired freshman roommate, and my sophomore and junior roommate is still one of my best friends.</p>

<p>Dorms can be loud, but I think that most people don't have a problem sleeping most of the time. If it's a school night, most people are considerate and will quiet down if asked. Air conditioning/heating is done different ways at different schools. Some schools have individual units, some have central air and heat, and some don't have air conditioning at all.</p>

<p>Again, Wi-Fi is a different-by-school thing. Some schools will have it and some wont (and some will only have it in the classroom buildings). If your school has it, your laptop probably wont have a problem with it. Any relatively new laptop probably has the specifications for it. You can certainly ask when you buy the laptop, but I think almost all of them come with a wireless card now.</p>

4

<p>How many outlets in a dorm room would I have available?
About two per side. A power strip/surge protector (or two) is a must.</p>

<p>What are some things that I should bring to a dorm room?
Blankets, sheets, towels, minifridge, microwave, etc. </p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have storage for things such as clothing?
They come with closets, desks, and dressers, but I would advise bringing several plastic bins. </p>

<p>Do roommates tend to be obnoxious?
Depends on the roommate. I just got out of a really bad roommate situation, luckily my friend down the hall was having issues so we just switched. Now Its all good. You can try to get a single but that would cost a lot more, and they're hard for freshmen to secure.</p>

<p>How loud are dorms in general? Will I have trouble sleeping if I'm not a heavy sleeper?
Bring ear plugs.</p>

<p>How bad is the air-conditioning/heating (or lack-thereof)?
Most dorms are not air conditioned. Bring a fan, a good fan. </p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have desks?
Yes.</p>

<p>Do dorm buildings have Wi-Fi connections in general?
Most do, but bring an ethernet cable just in case.</p>

5

<p>Alright.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot for the advice. Now I'm saddled with the question as to how the hell I'm going to pay for all that crap. o.o I don't have most of those things, and my summer job is pretty going to go to getting myself a computer and a little bit of breathing room money.</p>

<p>I have another question that I just thought of:</p>

<p>I do not and will not have a cell phone for college. What is the phone situation for somebody who does not have one of their own?</p>

<p>Also, with the ethernet cord, would I just plug that into a wall somewhere in my room, like my net connection at home?</p>

6

<p>As far as phones go, you can setup a landline at your dorm (at least here you can) but you'll have to pay for it every month. I'd highly suggest getting a cellphone. You could get the phone for free by signing a 2 year agreement with one of the cellphone providers.</p>

<p>And for the internet you just plug your laptop in the wall and register your PC then you're good to go.</p>

7

<p>Ahh. Setting up a landline probably wouldn't be feasible because anybody I would want to call would be long distance. That would cost a ton of money I don't have.</p>

<p>Maybe I will get a cell phone then. Maybe if I got some cheap ones and set up an in-calling plan I would save money in the long run.</p>

8

<p>You basically NEED a cell phone in college. You can use it as an alarm, a watch, and a means of contacting people. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have a cell phone. It's the best way of getting in touch with people (besides facebook). </p>

<p>Also, there is a sticky post at the top of this forum that lists basically everything you could possibly think of to take to a dorm. Much of it, you can do without, but it's a good reference to make sure you don't forget random, but important, things like a pillow or toothpaste. Obviously, not all of it will fit in the dorm with you, your roommate, and all the roommate's crap too. </p>

<p>Honestly, you don't really NEED a laptop at college, a desktop is fine. I had a desktop freshman year and I got on fine. There are computer labs on campus and computers in the library too, if you go somewhere and need access. </p>

<p>Generally, you will have a closet or wardrobe, and some drawers, to keep your stuff in. Don't bring TOO much because it won't all fit.</p>

9

<p>The funny thing about college is that once you've paid tuition and boarding fees there's still about $2000 worth of dorm stuff, school supplies and text books that need to be purchased.</p>

10

<p>Heh, yeah, I'm realizing that just now.</p>

<p>Not to mention required health insurance. (That's an expense for me because I don't have any.)</p>

<p>Thankfully, most of the stuff will probably end up rummaged from around my house. Then I'll probably ask relatives for some second hand stuff and I should have most things covered aside from books. </p>

<p>I'll have to look into cheap cell-phones with an in calling plan. I might get one with virtually no extra minutes but get one for my family so that we can talk without spending a fortune. Or maybe I'll just sign my mom up for an email account and I'll keep in touch that way.</p>

<p>The sheer logistics of this are completely scrambling my brains. I'm going to the first out of four children (two older than me) to graduate high school, the second to go to college, and the first to live on campus and go to a private school. I am very very freaked out, and so is pretty much my entire family.</p>

<p>Pardon the ranting. I'm just sorta... venting.</p>

<p>Anyway, thanks for all of the help. You've really given me a better picture of what I'm going to need, and I'm starting to get on top of that now.</p>

11

<p>A lot of dorms are different.</p>

12

<p>Yeah, I figured as much.</p>

<p>I do intend to ask about what is included in the dorm rooms at the school I plan to attend.</p>

13

<p>How many outlets in a dorm room would I have available?
-Totally depends as far as an exact number goes, but I'd say that a power strip is definitely necessary regardless because most of the stuff you'll need to plug in will most likely go in the same area.</p>

<p>What are some things that I should bring to a dorm room?
Of course you'll need bedding...a fridge is nice but not a necessity, really. Same goes for TVs, microwaves, etc.</p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have storage for things such as clothing?
-You'll have some closet and drawer space, but those plastic drawers are great to put stuff away in so the place doesn't look so cluttered...but it may be a good idea to move in and see what you need of that type of stuff before buying it.</p>

<p>Do roommates tend to be obnoxious?
-Even the best roommate will get on your nerves at some point, but it's all about luck of the draw if you're not moving in with someone you already know. But even if you do get a crappy roommate, it's only a temperary situation so don't worry too much about that part if you can help it.</p>

<p>How loud are dorms in general?
-The dorm I lived in for two quarters my Freshman year was quiet most of the time...but every now and then a group of loud, drunk girls would get home from a party at 2 or 3am and **** off everyone in the entire dorm with their singing, laughing, yelling, and running in heels. </p>

<p>The dorm I lived in the last quarter of my freshman year (moved to a private room) was dead silent...if not for the loud, obnoxious girl that lived next to me...and I had to share a bathroom with her...oh God. She'd have friends over and they'd cackle at the top of their shrill little lungs and then she'd get in fights with people over the phone...and every time she went to the bathroom she'd knock super loud, turn the shower on, and then slam the door really hard as she left. She was just a...yeah. </p>

<p>I now live in a campus apartment with a friend of mine I met last year. Great set-up...but the people who live above us are super loud. They stomp across the floor, play their music too loud, and yell at sports games a lot. We also live right next to a road that's pretty well traveled and can hear all the traffic. And we can hear all the people yelling and laughing all stupid and stuff outside.</p>

<p>Basically...when you live in any type of dorm or apartment where there are inconsiderate people, there will be noise. College or not.</p>

<p>How bad is the air-conditioning/heating (or lack-thereof)?
-Totally depends on the school and the dorm you're living in at the school. The two dorms I lived in both had great heating and cooling and so does my apartment, but there are dorms here that have really crappy heating and cooling...so yeah...just depends. </p>

<p>Do dorm rooms have desks?
I would think most do...all the ones here do.</p>

<p>Do dorm buildings have Wi-Fi connections in general?
-I think most schools have at least an ethernet or like connection in the room for you to connect with...but I know that not all have wireless.</p>

14

<p>There are many prepaid cell phones out there, and they're really cheap now. Tracfone is a popular brand. You buy the phone, then you pay a set amount for a card that has a set number of minutes. I think the cheapest one is $16 for 150 minutes. That's what my mom uses, because she doesn't want to have to add herself to the regular AT&T cell plan that my sister and I share.</p>

15

<p>you can also look into skype. It's an online sort of phone service that's free as long as the person on the other end is using it on a computer as well. They also offer calls to other land lines and cell phones from your computer for pretty cheap.</p>

16

<p>Skype is amazing. I use it all the time.</p>

17

<p>Ahh... I might look into the skype thing, but the computer at my house is no terrible that I think even looking at the website would probably crash it.</p>

<p>As for tracfone, I have one of those. The minutes expire within a couple months unless you buy a whole crapload, and they're still pretty expensive. I'd probably be better off with a calling card in that case.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice though. Skype might be useful to get in touch with people that have a better computer. I'll look into it.</p>