I’m currently a high school senior and college is coming soon. I accepted my financial aid and I already did my housing deposit. My brother said I should dorm for the first year and see how it goes. I didn’t really know what he meant by that. What am I supposed to expect? Is it for the ‘college experience’ and what exactly is that? I’m open to making friends, but I’m shy when it comes to meeting new people, but after some time, I get used to it. What do I do if dorming isn’t for me? Do I walk up to someone and say I don’t want to dorm anymore? Is there a specific process to not dorm anymore or is it different for every college? I’ve only had this thought because what if I can’t afford room & board with the financial aid I received.
Dorming is a great way to make friends. If you prefer to keep to yourself, you always have that option too. It is likely you cannot simply leave the dorms once you are there. I would argue though that most if not all students benefit from staying in dorms at least their freshman year. This is because the food is easy, meeting people is easy, you are likely close to classes, there is a mentor for you to go to, etc. All of this stuff can be very helpful when you are new to campus and college life.
Dorming is the usual way for freshman at college to live. You will have a contract for the entire year so you can’t just decide you don’t like it anymore.
The reason colleges do it this way is for most people, this is the first time they have lived on their own. So dorms have Resident Assistants to help with any issues you might have. Also most freshman are not prepared to shop/cook/prepare their own food and pay bills and clean an apartment, etc. Plus you get to live amongst many students your own age and make friends.
Usually students live in a dorm sophomore year as well.
By Junior year, students often start to live either on or off campus in apartments.
You should expect to learn to live with someone who is not family and build a respectful relationship. Be friendly and kind. Your roommate will most likely be another freshman who has the same questions and concerns about your new adventure as a college student. If you know someone or attend an accepted students day, you may meet someone you would like to have as your first roommate. Otherwise the college housing department will ask you some basic questions and match you with a roommate. Every year, you have the opportunity to live with the same person or selecting someone else.
Having a roommate is a great way to meet people who are not in your classes. Just imagine bigger and bigger ring out. Roommate, other people on your floor, in your building, and so on.
Does the college you are attending require freshman to live on-campus? Many do. Some will allow for exceptions for individuals who can provide they living with a family member within a specific distance to campus. Once you sign up to live on campus you have basically signed a contract. Review the terms of the housing contract for the college you’ll be attending to understand the ability to exit the contract at some point and if you are allowed to exit the contract what the financial implications might be.
Dorming absolutely forces you to make connections - that’s why so many colleges require freshmen to live on-campus. The whole “we’re all suffering together” thing is real. Do the dorms for your first year, see how you like sharing a room with 1 (or 2) people, and plan for the next year accordingly. As @bopper points out, the shopping/preparing/cleaning up of food alone takes TIME that you may need to be actually tackling all of the other things that going away to school entails, including passing your classes. Dorm life is the turnkey approach to college: no having to furnish an apartment, haggle over monthly utility bills, feeding yourself (other than stumbling over to the dining hall), etc.
And, no, you can’t change your mind in midstream. You may be granted a roommate change if that is necessary, but the school isn’t going to move you from a double or triple to a single just because.