<p>I am wondering about things in dorms one might not think of right away.</p>
<p>I am wondering if people walk down the halls in their underwear/pajamas and if people just walk out of the bathrooms in towels or change in the bathrooms. </p>
<p>Also, what is it like first few weeks living with a new person when you have to change your clothes and such? Do you wait until they leave the room?</p>
<p>Really just wondering about dorm life etiquette</p>
<p>I used to just lay out my clothes in front of my shower and change in the shower (after turning the water off of course).</p>
<p>haha um, people do all of those things and more. People of both sexes walk around in various stages of undress from room to bathroom and such. Hell, I was brushing my teeth the other day, and three girls came in to use the bathroom. Technically against school policy, but no one cares. We're all adults, and if the girls want to use the guys bathroom (and vice versa) so they don't have to walk to the other end of the hall, who cares?
Everything depends on the person, but I would say that if you are the overly modest type, you might have some difficultly adjusting. You certainly can't force your roommate out of the room just so you can change... just go with it.</p>
<p>I live in a student housing building with suite-style rooms where the person shares the bath and kitchen with an adjoining person's room. So basically I live alone but share the bath and kitchen with someone else. I don't see people walking the halls shirtless/naked/in underwear but I do see people in pajamas or in their flipflops (ech! especially on guys) or like the slippers or socks. I don't leave my room unless I'm in fully clothed. Or unless I feel like showing off my ultra sexy body LOL</p>
<p>I think it varies by people. I see people who walk to the bathroom in just a towel or bathrobe, but I generally change in the shower. There's a changing area attached to the shower, and I'm just more comfortable changing there. And with a roommate you generally just turn your back and change.
And people walk around in their pajamas all the time.</p>
<p>A lot varies by school as well.
The culture at USC is going to very different from, say, Point Loma, which would differ from Yale. Even within the individual dorms, I've noticed trends. Here we have 4 freshmen dorms--one womens, one men's, one co-ed with community bathrooms, and one co-ed with suitestyle living (i.e., shared bathrooms), as well as several appartment complexes (each with their own unique culture that remains fairly consistent from year to year).
They each have have a very different culture that is independent of the class. This leads me to believe that the way that each dorm is run likely has a strong effect on how that living area's community and culture.
For example, in the suitestyle living, we tend to have limited community because everyone has their bathroom and sink in their rooms. This results in less doors simply being left open for people to meet in. In addition, sophomores (mainly transfers) are placed there as an overflow dorm, which means that freshmen and sophomores are mixed. This tends to further impede community.
In the newest dorm, a coed with community bathrooms, community is extremely effective. This is facilitated by larger halls and several coffee-shop style lobbies on each wing.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I don't think ANYONE goes to the bathroom to change clothes. we've all taken gym classes before, yes? as long as you're not checking out your roommate it should be fine.</p></li>
<li><p>I've seen guys walk down the hall in boxers but haven't seen girls walk around in their underwear.</p></li>
<li><p>lots of people go to the showers in just a towel (hey it's easier)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>It's hard to change in our showers. There's not really a changing area, so you end up inevitably getting water on your clothes. After a few tries I gave up and started just going to my room in a towel.</p>
<p>At my college, we had co-ed bathrooms (though officially they are single sex) and everyone on my floor would go to/from the bathroom in a towel. </p>
<p>As a guy, it was easy enough to slip on boxers while still in a towel, and then just drop the towel. Not sure what women do, but all of my roommates just do that.</p>
<p>Ugh, I'm one of those people who goes into the bathroom during gym class, haha. I totally can't take my pants off in front of anybody ;). Still, I'm not worried about any of that stuff in college. You can always change in the shower in the morning and in a closet in your room. I've been at the end of some light hearted teasing for my uniqueness, but people see it as a quirk, not in a GOSH, she's SO weird kind of way.</p>
<p>Don't you guys do any sports or go to any camps, overnight trips, etc? I dunno, I just never imagined anyone being <em>that</em> modest.</p>
<p>I'm not making fun, just considering/wondering! A new viewpoint...</p>
<p>guess that's what college is all about. ;)</p>
<p>"I see people who walk to the bathroom in just a towel or bathrobe"</p>
<p>Woah! That is absolutely sick! (sarcasm)</p>
<p>Back when I lived in a dorm, I would always wear a pair of khaki shorts around the halls with a t-shirt. I'd always take the shower on the end so I could reach out and get my clothes right away.</p>
<p>I hated sharing the bathroom. I've had my own bathroom at home like forever, so it was tough to all of a sudden have 70+ other gross and disgusting guys with poor hygiene habits around me. Also the water smelled funny there.</p>
<p>And when I walked down the hallways, I'd usually have flip flops on along with my typical shorts and shirt. So many people went around shirtless and it was sick cause they all had giant tattoos and whatnot.</p>
<p>I still don't understand. I mean, I guess none of us want some crusty, smelly fat guy walking down the hall naked. But what's wrong with showing a little skin? Chillax!</p>
<p>Hm...I really don't see what the big dilemma is? Haven't you all worn a bathing suit before? I really don't see that being any different than wearing your underwear...or just walking around in a towel. Granted, I wouldn't walk around shaking my ass....but some of ya'll are over the top on this.</p>
<p>Sh@ke That Ass, Watch Yourself!</p>
<p>Some people would walk out of the bathroom in a towel after a shower.. most of the girls had robes though. I didn't see anyone walking around in just thier underwear... after the shower was the most undressed people got in the halls.</p>
<p>Pajamas are fine.. who cares. As far as the roommate thing goes.. it's up to you how much nudity your roomie & you share. If you don't want to change in their view.. just go in the closet or put up a screen in the corner to change behind.</p>
<p>Here, everyone walks out in their underwear and such when going and coming from the shower. However, I'm not entirely sure about what you mean about changing in the room? Like, no one strips down all the way and changes, since that would be kind of disgusting, but we do put clothes on in the room while in our boxers and such.</p>
<p>This is actually interesting because I remember I did an overnight trip at one college and when it came to shower I was just stopped to think for a moment. How the hell am I going to change? Where am I going to put my clothes so I could change in the shower after I was done? Well perhaps I got a bit lucky but the host I had was not in his room (he had the room to himself) so what I did was I took off all my clothes in his room and went to the bathroom with my towel, shampoo, soap, etc. Then came the weirdiest part. I didn't even know where to hang my towel. So I didn't want to get the the towel obviously because that would defeat the purpose of using it later. Luckily the shower stall had a door so I was able to actually put the towel over the door while out actually gettin it wet. keep in mind this bathroom in this particular building only had one shower stall in the men's bathroom and I assume the same for the women's as well. (On another college trip I went to the shower stalls didn't have towers but curtains instead so I don't know where I'd put the tower unless the stall was actually wide enough to put it at one end where it would get wet but I doubt it.) Personally I was afraid of leaving anything outside of the shower stall because I figured if I couldn't see it then some college student might just feel in the mood to pull a prank and I didn't want to be a victim of such a prank if you know what I mean.</p>
<p>I don't have a problem with changing in front of people but maybe that's just me. So long as I have boxers or briefs I can walk the halls because really it's the same as if I went to a pool or the beach. I'm a high school student so going through that experience helped out even if that's not the school I go to.</p>
<p>If really you're fear is taking too much clothes with you and not being able to change then I would suggest just taking your boxer and covering it up with your towel this way you can actually change in the shower stall before you go into your room and completely change. That is of course if you're comfortable walking around in boxers from the bathroom to your dorm.</p>
<p>Hey Im all about doing the most convenient thing here, but if your walking around your dorm half naked or NAKED that freaks some people out! Call me a prude but its true!</p>