<p>So guys, I have two options for this upcoming fall as a freshman at the University of Minnesota: to live in an apartment with my boyfriend (we've been together for 2 years, he's 21 and would be working full time), orrr I could live in a dorm room (I've been assigned to expanded housing.. blegh). The apartment would be much cheaper and more spacious of course, but the thing I'm worrying about missing out on is the social life. How valuable were your guys' freshmen year in the dorms? Is it overrated or is it necessary to build friendships and better than being isolated all the time in an apartment?</p>
<p>I would recommend the dorms to all freshmen. It does suck, but it’s way better than being isolated all the time. I feel like it’s best to move to an apartment sophomore year, when you already have made a big network of friends. That one year on-campus is important to meet people and get involved.</p>
<p>Well, the dorms at my current school are just awful. I hated living there last year and hate that i’m going back in a few weeks. The onyl thing that makes this better is the fact that i’m going to be transferring to a different school in the spring.</p>
<p>Having said that i’d advise that as long as your dorms are decent you live on campus. Not because of any kind of campus experience you may or may not have, but so that you can learn where everything is on campus and so that you can meet and network with more people. You can always move out of the dorm in the spring and move in with your boyfriend.</p>
<p>Apartments are in most cases cheaper and nicer than dorms. You’re paying for a living space that has more room, appliances, privacy, etc. I mean sure, you might get have some fun times living in a dorm, but I personal think apartments are much better. Plus you’ll be living with someone you know and are completely comfortable with. So that is an added plus. </p>
<p>Also, you don’t only make friends in dorms. You can make friends in your class or even by participating in clubs and activities on campus. There are tons of ways to make friends besides just from dorms. </p>
<p>As I see it, you can pay more for the “experiences” you get while loving in dorms, or pay less to live a bit more comfortably in college.</p>
<p>From my experience dorms are great places to build a network. Of course there are other ways to make friends, but there’s something unique about living through the dorm experience with a large group of other people in your same boat. I think the traditional college experience is kind of fun and good for building your four years. I would have had an entirely different, and I think much less amazing, freshman experience if I hadn’t lived in the dorms. But then, I had a dorm I absolutely fell in love with - could vary from place to place.</p>
<p>You’ll have plenty of time to live in an apartment, too (though college will go faster than you expect!), so that isn’t really super pressing.</p>
<p>I didn’t find that the dorms really made me make more friends or made social life easier at all. I met all of my friends through classes and through other friends. No one in my dorm ever cared about talking or doing group events. The dorms were tiny and terrible in quality and insanely too expensive. If you’re going to qualify to live off campus where you can have a cheaper and better place, do it!</p>
<p>But just be sure you and your boyfriend are ready to take the next step and move in together.</p>
<p>I definitely advocate for the dorms. Most of my friends in my current school have lived on campus, which is how we met (or how they met my boyfriend before I started going there). When they moved off campus, we very seldom hung out anymore because they weren’t as accessible and didn’t want to come to campus to chill with the gang most of the time. </p>
<p>The dorms at my school are generally pretty nice though, so I don’t see it as much of a sacrifice to live on campus (plus I’m a RA so I have to anyway). Apartments are nice later on but I would definitely recommend living on campus as a freshman (or first year transfer). Plus your school might not even give you the option to live off campus as a freshman - no school I’ve ever attended has.</p>
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<p>Yeah, at my school, you have to have commuter status or 88 credits (or other special circumstances, but they don’t apply to most students) to live off campus.</p>
<p>I met a lot of my friends in the dorms. I would go for the dorms at least this semester, and see what happens.</p>
<p>Dorms. You don’t want your social circle to be limited to your boyfriend. Not to be a wet blanket or anything, but what if you break up?</p>
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<p>You’re right. I trusted my ex-girlfriend and she cheated on me. You never know.</p>
<p>Dorms. Mostly because I wouldn’t advise living with a significant other right out of high school in your first year of college. Dorms will help you get to know other people and force you out of your bubble.</p>
<p>Dorms. It had its ups and downs, but it’s an experience you won’t really get after college. You always have the chance to live in an apartment after college.</p>
<p>Dorms. Definitely. It’s best to immerse yourself into the whole college atmosphere. It’ll help with making friends especially during first year.</p>
<p>You’ll have the rest of your life to live in an apartment/house. Go for the dorm experience! I LOVED being so close to everyone on my hall, and even people in other dorms. I’m pretty sure I’d have about a fourth of the friends I currently have if I didn’t live in a dorm.</p>
<p>It really depends. I was offered a dorm in my first year but had the option of living in an apartment for much less, so I took the apartment. It was harder to make friends, yes, but I also slept through the night while most of my friends that were in residence said that they were kept up a lot of nights by parties. I also was able to make my own food, which my friends in dorms said they missed a lot. I personally don’t feel like I missed out on anything (I did end up meeting a lot of people) and I’m glad to have saved the money, but it really depends on you.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for all of your helpful advice guys 
I’ve decided to go with the dorm for at least this year. Even though it’s expanded housing with 3 other people, I think it’ll be a great experience. I’ve realized that I was only unsure of what I should do because I wanted to want to live with my boyfriend because he is dying to do it, but I’m just truly not ready for it yet. And it seems that 11/14 of you agree that dorms is the way to go. I’m so excited! :DD</p>